Clinical Villa come from behind to win at Tottenham
Aston Villa's Pau Torres celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game. Picture: John Walton/PA Wire
Tottenham will not win the Premier League, as an Ollie Watkins winner allowed Aston Villa to overtake them in the top four, but Ange Postecoglou will not compromise on the attacking style that led to yet another thrilling but ultimately unsuccessful game.
Spurs have now lost their past three games after taking the lead in each, and once again passed up a bucketful of scoring opportunities in a game they dominated in terms of possession, chances created and shots on goal.
But Unai Emery's men were more clinical in front of goal and continued their excellent ascent into the top echelons of the table, after yet another smash-and-grab raid at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, where they have won three of their past four fixtures.
Villa are now only two points behind leaders Arsenal, while Spurs are seemingly stuck on 26 points, a total that had taken them to the top of the table a month ago.
But it was another exciting game of attacking football, three well-taken goals and three more ruled out after the intervention of VAR.
There was a sombre mood earlier in the day with the news that Terry Venables, an FA Cup winner with Spurs as both player and manager, and one of England's greatest coaches had passed away after a long illness.
It's fair to assume that Venables would have loved the way Postecgolou's team play, determined to entertain and attack, and that is how they started the game once again.
They should have taken the lead in the opening minutes when Destiny Udogie got behind Villa's back four but lifted his shot over the bar with only Emi Martinez to beat. The visitors then had an even better chance when Pau Torres had a free header from a Lucas Digne free kick, but placed the ball wide from ten yards. The big defender made amends with a firm header deep into first-half stoppage time to draw Villa level, after they had been comprehensively outplayed for 45 minutes.
Postecoglou had surprised most observers with his team selection, not least the selection of Givanni Lo Celso and Bryan Gil for their first league starts of the season. With Udogie returning from suspension, and Ben Davies selected ahead of Eric Dier in the back four, it gave Spurs a preponderance of left-footed players and they enjoyed great success down the left flank.
Lo Celso had shot saved, Pedro Porro headed the loose ball over the bar, and Heung Min Son just failed to connect with a cross from Gil.
But Lo Celso lit up the stadium with a spectacular strike in the 23rd minute to put Spurs ahead. When Porro's corner kick reached him 25 yards from goal the Argentinian midfielder hit a searing volley that flew off the thigh of Diego Carlos and past Martinez.
Tottenham's joy was shortlived when Rodrigo Bentancur, who had just returned from long term injury, limped off after being hacked down by Matty Cash, who was withdrawn at half-time after going close to getting a second yellow card twice.
Youri Tielemans replaced him, and shortly after the hour mark, the Belgian teed up Watkins to shoot low past Guglielmo Vicario and put Villa ahead. The Italian goalkeeper had earlier spilled a long shot from Leon Bailey, and then tipped away a Digne free-kick.
But Martinez was busy too, saving well from Porro, Brennan Johnson and Pierre Emile Hojbjerg. When he was finally beaten again, when Son rammed home a loose ball that had cannoned off a post, the Korean's effort was ruled offside for the second time in the game.
At the end it was Villa's fans celebrating loudly, while Tottenham's supporters must be wondering where their next victory will come from.
Vicario 7; Porro 6, Emerson 6, Davies 6, Udogie 7; Bentancur 6, Lo Celso 7; Johnson 7, Kulusevski 6, Gil 6; Son 5
Martinez8; Konsa 6, Carlos 6, Pau Torres 7, Digne 6; Cash 5, Luiz 6, Kamara 6, McGinn 7; Diaby 6, Watkins 7.
Robert Jones 6
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