Aston Villa 0 Tottenham 4 - Report
Villa’s top four challenge suffered a blow as they crumbled to defeat against Tottenham and saw skipper John McGinn sent-off.
The latter is facing a three-match ban after being shown a straight red card for a forceful challenge on Spurs defender Destiny Udogie.
That came after James Maddison and Brennan Johnson had scored twice in the space of three second half minutes.
Son Heung-min and substitute Timo Werner then scored in stoppage time as Villa fell apart.
Analysis
McGinn had described the match as one of the biggest in the club’s recent history but instead it delivered one of the low points of his Villa career.
Looking to rally his team after the visiting team’s two-goal burst, the skipper went in hard on Udogie and barring a possible appeal, will now miss matches against West Ham, Wolves and Manchester City.
His dismissal made a disappointing day for Villa potentially much more serious with Emery’s already injury-hit squad set to be tested even more.
They still hold a two point advantage over the fifth-placed visitors but have played a game more, while the late goals scored by Son and Werner saw their goal difference advantage wiped out.
Villa, who had gone into the match on a run of three straight league wins, looked sluggish from the start and Emery’s decision to switch to five at the back will come under scrutiny.
His team lacked their usual fluency and after a record-breaking run of home wins earlier this season, have now lost four of their last five at Villa Park in all competitions.
The opening to the match was scrappy, both teams misplacing passes and Matty Cash slipping three times on sodden turf inside the first 12 minutes.
No better was the lack of poise displayed than when Ollie Watkins was sent through on goal and inexplicably tried to pass to Leon Bailey, instead finding only Micky Van De Ven. A raised flag spared the top scorer’s blushes.
Villa seemed to be feeling their way around a new shape but gradually began to exert some pressure. Cash played in Bailey and then saw the cross deflect into his path but was unable to get his effort on target while off balance.
In the final minutes of the half Watkins was again picked out with a ball over the top but Sergio Romero stayed disciplined to block the shot. From the corner, Lucas Digne headed McGinn’s cross wide of the far post. It was probably the best chance of the opening half.
Cash saw a shot blocked early in the second half but it was the visitors who then broke the deadlock and grabbed control of the game.
Dejan Kulusevski’s through pass wasn’t quite cut out and broke nicely into the path of Sarr, who raced down the wing before whipping in a vicious cross which Maddison converted on the volley.
It was the first effort on target for either side and three minutes later the second brought a second goal. Ezri Konsa dallied, misplaced his pass for Youri Tielemans and when Kulusevski nipped in the ball broke to Son, the South Korea international keeping his nerve to play in Johnson, who lifted a finish into the roof of the net.
From there, things only got worse for Villa. McGinn had been hareing round the pitch, trying to lift his team-mates but took things too far when he clattered Udogie, referee Kavanagh producing a red card to the disbelief of the captain and the home crowd.
The hosts kept plugging away, with Nicolo Zaniolo bringing the first save of the match from Guglielmo Vicario.
But when Son thumped home in the first minute of stoppage time and Werner then added the fourth, it capped a miserable day for Emery’s men.
Key Moments
50 - GOAL Tottenham break the deadlock, James Maddison converting Pape Matar Sarr’s cross at close range.
53 - GOAL It’s two for Tottenham. Ezri Konsa misplaces a pass and Son Heung-min sets up Brennan Johnson to double the lead.
65 - RED CARD John McGinn is sent-off after clattering Destiny Udogie.
90+1 - GOAL Son Heung-min thumps home Tottenham’s third from Dejan Kulusevski’s cross.
90+5 - GOAL Timo Werner slots home Tottenham’s fourth.
Teams
Villa (5-3-2): Martinez, Cash Konsa, Lenglet (Zaniolo 58), Torres, Digne (Moreno 58), McGinn, Luiz, Tielemans (Diaby 58), Bailey (Iroegbunam 69), Watkins Subs not used: Carlos, Duran, Rogers, Kesler-Hayden, Iroegbunam, Olsen (gk).
Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van De Ven (Dragusin 49), Udogie, Bissouma, Sarr (Bentancur 70), Kulusevski, Maddison (Werner 87), Johnson (Hojbjerg 88), Son Subs not used: Royal, Lo Celso, Davies, Scarlett, Austin (gk).
