Unai Emery didn’t give much away, he just clenched a fist and shook it to the jubilant crowd, but the Europa League pundit master has his sights back on the competition after Aston Villa beat Tottenham.
Goals from Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz were enough to extend Villa’s home record to six Premier League wins in a row. They are level with Spurs on points and might have been above them on goal difference had they made more of their chances count.
Emery’s team were excellent in the first hour and created a wealth of opportunities. Emi Buendia hit the crossbar and Fraser Forster made a stunning save to fend off Leon Bailey as they nullified Tottenham’s attack until
When Luiz conceded from a free kick in the second, the points should have been safe, but the visitors caused a late scare. Harry Kane, who missed a glorious chance at 1-0, won a penalty and converted it into an anxious final game in the 90th minute.
Villa Take took the lead early and dominated the first half after Ramsey’s goal, a fluid move fueled by a clever touch from Ollie Watkins as he dodged a hasty challenge from Cristian Romero.
Aston Villa continued their pursuit of a place in Europe next year with a 2-1 win over Spurs
Jacob Ramsey opened the scoring in the 8th minute of play with a close-range finish
Tottenham’s struggles have continued throughout the season and that didn’t change in their clash with Villa
Ramsey picked up the ball, slid it wide to Leon Bailey on the right and continued his run.
Bailey made a yard and cut a cross low into the box, and Ramsey arrived to convert with a first time finish. It was his fifth Premier League goal of the season, all scoring at Villa Park.
Emery’s side almost made two with a very similar move, cutting through the Tottenham defense with surgical precision after a loose pass from Pedro Porro into a right-back area.
Watkins forged a deficit on the left and pulled the ball towards the penalty spot.
This time it was Bailey who arrived and swept the opportunity low to the corner with his left foot. The ball looked destined for the net, but Forster produced a fantastic save, quickly down to keep it out with a strong left hand.
Villa gained momentum and should have made more of their chances. Watkins threw his head forward at a blistering cross from left-back Alex Moreno and couldn’t make enough contact.
His header slid wide at the near post and Buendia rattled the crossbar with a left footer after Spurs were once again pushed into possession, deep in their own half.
Villa kept the visitors on their heels for a long time in the first half with a dangerously high defensive line that was excellently set up by Tyrone Mings.
Spurs struggled to break it down. When they thought they had slipped out, they were in fact offside. Heung-min Son, who scored a hat-trick in this game last season, was frustrated more often than most.
Remove those efforts that would have been ruled out by late flags, and they brought no shot of any kind before the break. They also failed to force a corner kick.
All of this sparked discontent in the far corner, where the traveling supporters filled every possible lull in the atmosphere with a chorus of protest songs about their desire to see chairman Daniel Levy leave the club.
John McGinn shot wide in the second half and Forster saved from Buendia as Villa started the second half with the same intent, but a glorious chance for an equalizer fell to Kane in the 52nd minute.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg won the ball as Luiz received a pass from Mings deep in defense and the tackle sent Kane to goal, with only Martinez to beat, and time and space to pick his spot.
However, Villa’s former Arsenal goalkeeper saved and Villa recovered to smother the chance created by the rebound.
Midfielder Douglas Luiz scored the second for the hosts fulfilling their ambitions to play European football next season
Ramsey beat Spurs defenseman Pedro Porro and jabbed the ball into the back of the net to open the scoring early on
The north London side have won just one game of their last six games in all competitions, marking a poor end to the campaign
England captain Kane’s 210th goal in the England top flight comes in vain as Spurs faltering to another defeat
A huge opportunity came through but Tottenham came alive. Mason’s substitutions also provided momentum. Entering the field came Yves Bissouma, his first appearance since an ankle injury in early February, and Dejan Kulusevski, who picked up the pace and made an immediate impact, limping past Moreno and firing a shot narrowly wide of the far post.
But hopes of a return were no sooner dashed than it vanished with a second from Villa, a delightful free-kick teased over the wall and past Forster’s dive by Luiz after another fumbled foul from behind by Romero on Watkins.
There was a lifeline for Spurs as Martinez sped out of line and tripped Kane, released by Kulusevski. It required the intervention of the VAR. Referee Peter Bankes initially gave a corner, but replays showed that Martinez did not touch the ball.
Bankes looked at his monitor and pointed to the spot and Kane converted his 27th of the season. It was Villa’s first goal at home since February and brought Kane’s miss back into focus. It also made for a few nervous final minutes as Son found the net only to be denied by another flag, but Villa deserved victory and they held on to claim victory.