Tottenham breathed new life into their battle to stay in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory at Champions league-chasing Aston Villa to move out of the relegation zone.
West Ham’s 3-0 defeat at Brentford on Saturday opened the door for Spurs, and Roberto De Zerbi’s side stepped confidently through it as the battle to beat the drop took a plot twist.
Aston Villa, who made seven changes from their Europa League semi-final first leg defeat to Nottingham Forest, were second best from the very first whistle as first-half goals from Conor Gallagher and Richarlison as good as finished the game as a contest.
The expected Villa resurgence never came in the second half and despite Emi Buendia’s stoppage-time header, Spurs finished the job with what was arguably their best performance of the season at such a crucial point in the campaign.
Spurs, who now have back-to-back wins in the league since their first two games of the season, are now one point above 18th-placed West Ham with three games of the season left to play.
Meanwhile, Villa, who stay fifth with a six-point cushion to Bournemouth in sixth, have suffered three straight defeats in all competitions and now have to produce a response from a lacklustre display to overcome a one-goal deficit in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Forest on Thursday.
A disappointed Matty Cash and Victor Lindelof leave the pitch at half-time
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Source:
www.skysports.com