Villa punish sloppy Spurs with big win on the road
HIGH FLIER: Aston Villa's Emiliano Buendia leaps in the air to celebrate after scoring his side's opening goal. Picture: AP Photo/Ian Walton
Antonio Conte's luck finally ran out as Tottenham wasted a chance to return to the Premier League top four. Coach Conte's side were so unpredictable and inconsistent in 2022, but always up for a fight and that is why they started the New Year very much in the mix for another top-four finish.
Their previous four defeats this season had come against top six teams, so a fifth of the season against an unfancied Villa side represents a time for reflection. They offered little going forward and were positively poor defensively.
A second-half goalkeeping howler from Hugo Lloris – far from his first this season - and more sloppy defending later on gifted goals for Emiliano Buendia and Douglas Luiz.
Stand-in Villa keeper Robin Olsen hardly had a shot to save with all of the limited action there was taking place in Tottenham's penalty area.
Tottenham had won 14 points from losing positions before this New Year's Day collapse and had been trailing at half-time in seven of their last eight matches.
This time they looked like they had run out of ideas and resilience At least they avoided the indignity of trailing again at the end of a first period in which they showed signs of being the better side.
But they proved to be no match for Villa's Spanish coach Unai Emery, who also proved invincible against the north Londoners during his ill-fated spell in charge of Arsenal.
The stage seemed set for Tottenham to build on their more positive start to the first half by taking the initiative after the break.
Instead, they were a goal down only three minutes after the restart to find themselves behind yet again.
Lloris spilled a speculative losing-range effort from Douglas Luiz and Ollie Watkins beat Clement Lenglet to the rebound before turning the ball back to Buendia to ram home through a crowd of players.
Now Villa had something to defend, but looked fortunate to still be in front less than ten minutes later when Ivan Perisic lifted a shot over the bar from close range.
The otherwise reliable Yves Bissouma then became the fourth Tottenham player to be cautioned. The Ivorian's fifth yellow card of the season means he now misses the next match, away to Crystal Palace.
Tottenham were as flat as the atmosphere and despite being the comeback kings this season, deservedly found themselves two behind on 73 minutes.
An out-of-touch Harry Kane was too easily dispossessed in midfield by Watkins and Villa worked the ball to John McGinn, who released Luiz with a brilliant pass, allowing the Brazilian to control and finish without breaking stride.
: Lloris 4; Romero 6, Lenglet 5, Davies 5; Doherty 6 (Royal 80), Hojbjerg 5 (Skipp 88), Bissouma 6 (Sarr 80), Perisic 6 (Spence 88); Son 5, Kane 5, Gil 6 (Sessegnon 63). Subs: Forster, Sanchez Dier, Tanganga.
Olsen 6; Young 7, Konsa 6 (Ings 82), Mings 6, Digne 6; McGinn 6 (Coutinho 77), Kamara 6, Douglas Luiz 7 (Bednarek 82), Buendia 7 (Chambers 82); Bailey 6 (Cash 66), Watkins 7. Subs: Martinez, Sanson, Augustinsson, Archer.
: John Brooks 6
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