Tottenham Hotspur boosted their Premier League survival hopes with a crucial 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday, lifting themselves out of the relegation zone and above West Ham United.
Goals from Conor Gallagher and Richarlison inside the opening 25 minutes punished a below-par Villa side, who appeared distracted by their upcoming Europa League semi-final clash against Nottingham Forest. Emiliano Buendía scored a late consolation header, but it proved too little, too late.
The result marks a significant turnaround for Tottenham, who had endured a 15-match winless run before securing back-to-back victories, following last week’s win at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Under new manager Roberto De Zerbi, Spurs have now collected seven points from four matches, injecting momentum into their survival bid.
Despite ongoing injury concerns, Tottenham delivered one of their most composed performances of the season in the West Midlands. The win moves them to 17th place on 37 points from 35 games, one point clear of West Ham, with a superior goal difference. Nottingham Forest sit just above them in 16th with 39 points.
De Zerbi urged caution despite the upturn in form, stressing that the battle is far from over with three matches remaining. Tottenham next face Leeds United as they aim to secure their top-flight status.
Aston Villa remain fifth on 58 points and are still well-placed to qualify for the Champions League. However, their poor display reflected manager Unai Emery’s decision to rotate heavily, making seven changes and leaving key players including Ollie Watkins and Pau Torres on the bench, while John McGinn was absent due to injury.
Oluwagbemisola Babalola
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