JUST IN: Tottenham 1 Aston Villa 2: Ollie Watkins helps Villa climb into top four with pulsating win at Spurs

Ollie Watkins got the winner as Villa won a pulsating match at Tottenham to move into the Premier League top four.

Just after the hour mark, the England international, who had his first-half goal disallowed for a slight offside call, scored his 12th goal of the year to cap off an incredible comeback for Unai Emery’s squad.

In a game full of opportunities, Giovani Lo Celso’s deflected goal put Tottenham ahead, and Villa was having difficulty gaining momentum.

However, Pau Torres tied the score deep into stoppage time in the first half, and Watkins’ goal concluded the visitors’ significantly better second half performance.

Examination

The final score does not fairly represent a game in which defenses were often neglected. The biggest surprise at the end of the game was that there were only three goals scored out of 33 shots on goal.
Within five minutes, Villa could have been ahead by two goals or behind by one. Their inferiority to a Spurs team that was missing several important players for the most of the first half was evident.

However, Torres’ equalizer at the half drastically altered the afternoon’s tone. After the interval, Villa were far more aggressive, took the lead through Watkins, and although they could have won by a larger margin, they eventually managed to hold off the hosts. Spurs captain Heung-min Son ended with three goals that were not allowed.

Although it was Villa’s first victory away from home in two months, it was their ninth in 13 league games. It occurs at the beginning of a two-week period during which they will also play leaders Arsenal and Manchester City. Now, they are only two points behind the latter.

But Torres’ equalizer at halftime significantly changed the mood of the afternoon. Following the break, Villa exhibited much greater aggression, took the lead through Watkins, and eventually held off the hosts even though they could have won by a wider margin. Heung-min Son, the captain of Tottenham, finished with three goals that were not permitted.

It was Villa’s ninth league victory in 13 games, despite the fact that it was their first away win in two months. It starts the first of two weeks in which they also play Manchester City and Arsenal, the league leaders. They now trail the latter by just two points.

From the moment the game started, there was no stopping the action. Both teams may have scored twice in the opening five minutes alone.

After recovering from his injury while playing for Scotland, John McGinn put Villa on the attack, cutting in from the left and putting in a cross that Matty Cash ought to have done much better with.

When Destiny Udogie raced on to Pedro Porro’s ball over the top, there was no questioning that he should have hit the mark. Rather, he thundered past, and the home crowd let out more screams of shock when Dejan Kulusevski, who had been sent through by Son’s deft flick, hit the post with his finish.

Next, Torres turned in his entry for worst. miss of the match so far, heading wide with the goal at his mercy from Lucas Digne’s free-kick.

Up until the opener, it was mainly one-way traffic from there. Bryan Gil was denied by Emi Martinez, and Porro went over the rebound. Diego Carlos expertly cut out a cross from Brennan Johnson, denying Son a tap-in after Son missed his opportunity to connect with Gil’s cross.
It was desperate stuff, but after holding out for the first twenty-one minutes, Emery must have been frustrated by Lo Celso’s goal’s style. Martinez had no chance after Boubacar Kamara failed to clear a corner at the near post and Lo Celso struck a drive that gave Carlos a cut. Villa believed they had tied the score practically immediately after the game. Digne opened up a space to the left, whipping in a cross before Watkins passed Guglielmo Vicario. but after a check of several minutes, it was determined the striker had strayed the merest fraction offside.

Just after the half-hour mark, Rodrigo Bentancur, who had just returned from injury, was forced off after the Villa player received a booking for challenging Cash. This was a blow for Tottenham.

The hosts were still in control, and when Son thought he had doubled the lead after Kulusevski curled slightly wide, his celebrations were cut short by a flag belonging to an assistant.

However, after a long spell of stoppage time, Villa started to gather momentum, and Torres headed them level after Diaby had missed a chance. The opportunity was identical to the one he missed in the first five minutes, but this time, it came from a free kick by Luiz, and he headed it expertly into the top corner.
Undoubtedly feeling cheated, Tottenham started the second half with newfound vigor, but Villa were the ones who went closest to scoring next. After substituting for Cash during halftime, Leon Bailey unleashed a shot that squirmed under Vicario’s body and struck the post, with the ball bouncing back into the grateful goalkeeper’s body.

However, after a long spell of stoppage time, Villa started to gather momentum, and Torres headed them level after Diaby had missed a chance. The opportunity was identical to the one he missed in the first five minutes, but this time, it came from a free kick by Luiz, and he headed it expertly into the top corner.
Undoubtedly feeling cheated, Tottenham started the second half with newfound vigor, but Villa were the ones who went closest to scoring next. After substituting for Cash during halftime, Leon Bailey unleashed a shot that squirmed under Vicario’s body and struck the post, with the ball bouncing back into the grateful goalkeeper’s body.