It was a nightmare afternoon for Aston Villa on Sunday as their closest Champions League rivals Tottenham won 4-0 at Villa Park.
Unai Emery has also lost John McGinn for three games after he was shown a straight red card for a reckless foul on Destiny Udogie. By that time, Villa were already two goals down and on the ropes. Son Heung-min and Timo Werner then added two more for a rampant Spurs side now only two points behind Villa.
Villa’s goal difference has also taken a big hit and Tottenham’s big win gives them the upper-hand in that department, while they also have a game in hand away against Chelsea to come later in the season.
VILLA SHOW SPURS TOO MUCH RESPECT
Villa have lost three of their last four home games in the Premier League, as many defeats as they suffered across their first 23 home matches under Emery in the competition.
We’re approaching the business end of the season but Villa have stuttered at home since the turn of the year. Newcastle and Man Utd have lost a combined 14 away league games this term, but both managed to beat Villa.
This was Spurs’ first away win against a team starting the day above them in the Premier League table since February 2022. Ange Postecoglou’s side had only won one of their last six on the road, but were allowed to play their football as Villa showed them too much respect.
Villa have now conceded 14 goals between the 45th and 60th minute this season, which is the most out of any side in the league. It’s an alarming trait because whatever is said at half-time is clearly not having the desired impact.
Postecoglou thought Villa had tired early on in the second half and perhaps he had a point considering the draw with Ajax last Thursday, but this was the first defeat Villa have suffered in a league match following a Europa Conference League fixture. If Villa can respond to the disappointment of losing to Spurs at home and put in a performance to beat Ajax on Thursday, then they’ll have to prove they can cope with the demands of playing under pressure in search for Champions League qualification and Europa Conference League glory.
As Ollie Watkins said after full-time, it was the nail in the coffin, but missing McGinn for another three matches makes the defeat feel even worse. He’ll miss matches against West Ham, Wolves and Man City.
After tempers flared on the touchline, McGinn was sent off and as he made his way to the dressing room, he put his hands on his head, realising what a big mistake he had just made.
After 224 appearances for the club across all competitions, this was the first time McGinn had been sent off for Villa. Now Emery will have to devise a plan to play with his influential skipper.
EMERY CHANGES SHAPE
This was Emery’s joint-heaviest home defeat as a manager, with Sunday’s 4-0 scoreline in charge of Villa equalling a 5-1 loss against Dinamo Moscow in the Russian Premier League in November 2012 while he was in charge of Spartak Moscow.
Having been unbeaten in his first six Premier League games against Spurs, this was also his first defeat to them. Villa rode their luck in north London back in November to pick up a win there, but Tottenham were in no mood to pass up on opportunities this time round.
With that in mind, Emery deployed a more pragmatic shape to try and nullify Spurs’ attack, which worked in the first half, but as Villa lacked control and intensity in their play when they did have possession, it was a matter of time before they’d fall behind.
Chasing the game against a Tottenham team with so much pace on the counter attack is never the position you want to be in. But Villa were asking for trouble when they made sloppy errors and didn’t protect the ball. Ezri Konsa had an uncharacteristically poor afternoon and he lost the ball in Villa’s half which allowed Spurs to double their lead through Johnson after Maddison had put the away side in front.
In hindsight, Emery might well regret showing too much respect to Tottenham, who were allowed to settle in the game quickly and take control.
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