Tottenham Hotspur's miserable domestic form deepened on Sunday as Aston Villa came from behind to secure a 3-2 victory that drops Spurs into the Premier League relegation zone ahead of the international break.
Roberto De Zerbi's side had shown promising signs in recent weeks, having kept clean sheets against Nottingham Forest and Everton despite going four league games without scoring. That defensive resilience proved fragile once again, as Tottenham squandered an early advantage and slumped to another damaging home defeat, this one arriving just days after a Carabao Cup exit to Liverpool.
Spurs started brightly, with Savio at the heart of the early pressure. His first-time shot was blocked by Villa's new goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who then tipped over a follow-up effort. Pedro Porro was forced off with an ankle injury, but his replacement Archie Gray almost marked his introduction with a goal, only for his low strike to be kept out by Suzuki's legs. Savio came close again from a set-piece, forcing another fine save from the Japanese keeper.
Villa weathered that opening spell and gradually found their footing, with Emi Buendia testing Antonin Kinsky and Nicolas Jackson dragging a chance wide after turning away from Jan Paul van Hecke. Tottenham also had penalty appeals waved away when Dominic Solanke's header struck Johan Manzambi.
Just as the first half appeared destined for a goalless stalemate, Villa struck. With Spurs captain Micky van de Ven off the pitch receiving treatment after a blow to the face from Tyrone Mings, Andy Robertson's attempt to clear a corner only found John McGinn, and the resulting move ended with Manzambi tapping home Boubacar Kamara's cross in first-half stoppage time.
De Zerbi introduced Mohammed Kudus for Mateus Fernandes at the interval, but Tottenham struggled to assert themselves in midfield. Jackson twice failed to extend Villa's lead, including one attempt brilliantly blocked by Kinsky, before Spurs thought they had equalized on the hour mark when Sandro Tonali set up Robertson, whose cross was turned in by Kudus. However, the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
James Maddison was brought on in search of greater control, but Villa struck again almost immediately. Van Hecke failed to deal with a long ball, allowing Jackson to spin away from Van de Ven and finish precisely into the bottom corner in the 67th minute.
Buendia then put the result beyond doubt with 11 minutes remaining, curling a stunning 25-yard strike into the net that prompted Villa's traveling supporters to taunt the home dugout with chants suggesting De Zerbi's job was under threat.
Tottenham did find some late consolation. Conor Gallagher finally ended the club's lengthy league goal drought, converting from close range after being teed up by Kudus with three minutes left. Van Hecke added a second for Villa in stoppage time, heading in from a Robertson free-kick, but it did nothing to soften the blow for the home crowd, who greeted the final whistle with boos.
The defeat means Tottenham have now won just three of their last 25 Premier League matches at home, a alarming statistic given the scale of investment made by the club over the summer. With the international break arriving at an inopportune moment, De Zerbi will have plenty to address as his side prepares to occupy a relegation spot when Premier League action resumes. Unai Emery's Villa, by contrast, leave north London with confidence rebuilt.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.