A Villa side showing seven changes from their UEFA Europa League semi-final defeat to Nottingham Forest on Thursday made a dreadful start to proceedings here, with Spurs’ greater desire both in and out of possession immediately evident.
The visitors still lacked a cutting edge in the final third, but found a rare moment of high quality to break the deadlock.
Kevin Danso’s long throw was only cleared as far as Conor Gallagher, who took the ball down and lashed home along the ground from 25 yards for his first goal in Tottenham colours.
João Palhinha struck the post from similar range just three minutes later before Randal Kolo Muani worked Emiliano Martínez at the back post, but the visitors weren’t waiting long for a second strike.
Destiny Udogie’s cross from the right was brilliantly headed home by Richarlison, whose first-ever H2H goal sparked jubilation in the away end.
The home fans had nothing to shout about, seeing their side take 34 minutes to even touch the ball in the opposition box, while a failure to register a single shot before HT sparked jeers from the home support.
It’s the first time Tottenham have led a PL game at half time since early January, making Unai Emery’s decision not to make any substitutions ahead of the restart a puzzling one.
He eventually turned to Ollie Watkins just before the hour mark with the pattern of play unchanged, by which time they’d managed just one touch in Spurs’ box – the lowest by any side in a PL game all season.
The visitors contented themselves with protecting their lead, celebrating successes in duels as if they were goals.
Villa fans exited in their droves with 10 minutes still to play, with those who left missing Emiliano Buendía’s glancing header, which served as little more than a consolation in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Villa’s margin inside the top five remains at six points despite that, while this could be a pivotal evening for Roberto De Zerbi’s Spurs side, who leapfrog rivals West Ham United and have now registered seven of their last eight PL wins away from home.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Conor Gallagher (Tottenham Hotspur)
