- Oct 17, 2006
- 10,701
- 25,259
SPURS 1-2 ASTON VILLA
Bergwijn Reguilon (og) Watkins.
Bergwijn Reguilon (og) Watkins.
Spurs: Lloris (C), Tanganga (Doherty), Alderweireld, Dier, Reguilon, Højbjerg, Winks (Ndombele), Dele, Bergwijn (Bale), Son, Kane.
Subs: Hart, Sanchez, Aurier, Lo Celso, Lamela, Lucas.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Hause, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Nakamba, McGinn, Grealish (c), Traore, El Ghazi, Watkins.
Subs: Steer, Taylor, Luiz, Wesley, Barkley, El Mohamady, Ramsey, Philogene-Bidace, Chukwuemeka.
Official Site Match Centre
Two changes from Sunday’s 2-0 win over Wolves with Harry Winks coming in for Giovani Lo Celso and Steven Bergwijn coming in for Gareth Bale.
REFEREE: --------- Craig Pawson ???????
TEAM FORM: ------ Spurs - WLWLW ------- Villa - DWLDL ---------- (All Competitions)
We are seeking to consolidate our hold on sixth spot in the Premier League table so we welcome Aston Villa to the capital for Wednesday evening's top-flight battle. We eased eased to a 2-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, while Villa's rut continued with a 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace. The team honours may have passed us by for the 13th season running, but Kane is still after another individual accolade of his own, as the England captain took his tally to 22 Premier League goals for the season with our opener on the stroke of half time against Wolves on Sunday. Kane finds himself level with Salah - who also made the net ripple in game week 36 - as the race for the Golden Boot hots up, and a rare goal from Hojbjerg wrapped up the three points for us in the 62nd minute against Wolves's side.
Amid increasing speculation surrounding the imminent appointment of Jose’s successor - with new names being linked with the job week after week - Mason has guided us to three victories from his four Premier League games in charge as we lie sixth, but only ahead of West Ham United on goal difference. Fifth-placed Liverpool could move out of sight should they get the better of Burnley in midweek, but we will be desperate to sign off with a positive result at home for the final time this season, and we can boast six wins from our last seven league games at our headquarters. We ought to be lifted by the voices of 10,000 fans cheering us on as coronavirus restrictions ease - although a fair few of them may simply be there to protest against Levy and ENIC - and a fourth home win on the bounce will be no less than our supporters desire when an out-of-sorts Villa pay a visit.
The long-awaited return of talisman Grealish did little to lift Villa's spirits at Selhurst Park, as Villa's side slumped to a 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace, despite going into the half-time interval with a 2-1 lead. McGuinn and El Ghazi struck either side of Benteke’s header to propel Villa into the ascendancy, but Zaha equalised before Tyrick Mitchell's chested winner settled the tie in the 84th minute, and Grealish could not impact the game during a 30-minute substitute cameo. The West Midlands outfit now run the risk of ending a previously promising season with a whimper, as two defeats and a draw from their last three Premier League outings have seen Villa slump to 11th in the standings - four points behind 10th-placed Leeds United and six adrift of Arsenal. Had Villa been able to hold on to a top-half place with Grealish fit and firing on all cylinders we will never know, but with only two wins to boast from their last 12 top-flight outings, there can be no denying that the attacker's absence has played a significant part in the visitors' downturn in form. We eased to a 2-0 win over Villa when we met back in March, and the West Midlands outfit have suffered defeat in 12 of their last 13 meetings with us - the outlier in that sequence being a 1-0 victory under the tutelage of our ex manager Tim Sherwood in 2015.
Team News
Our Boss Mason has effectively ruled Be Davies out for the remainder of the season with a calf problem, and his fellow full-back Aurier will need to be assessed after struggling with groin pain. We have no selection concerns otherwise, but Bale will need to be checked, and Mason could very well opt to name an unchanged XI following a professional showing against Wolves, although Winks is pushing for inclusion over Lo Celso. Kane will be out to score for the fifth game in a row against Villa, and Sunday's game will also mark his 400th appearance in an illustrious, all be it trophy less career so far.
Villa captain Grealish may be deemed ready for a start after appearing from the bench against Palace, but with three goals in his last five Premier League games, El Ghazi will not want to be dropped. Matty Cash has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, but Smith has eased concerns over Tyrome Mings shin injury sustained against Everton, and the England international should demote Kortney Hause back down to the bench here. Smith has conceded that Morgan Sanson will not return from a knee problem before the campaign concludes, but Jacob Ramsey's place could still come under threat from Nakamba.
Head to Head
We have faced each 167 times where our first encounter was on 7th March 1903 in the FA cup.
Of the 167 we have won 75, they have won 56 and 36 have been draws.
In all Division 1 / Premier League we have won 65, they have won 50 and 34 have been draws.
Out of 12 FA Cup ties we have won 7, they have won 4 and 1 has been a draw.
Out of 5 League cup ties, we have won 3 and they won the other 2.
The only other match was a Charity Shield match where we shared the spoils.
Banner courtesy of @chrissivad
Last edited by a moderator:
