In the Premier League, Tottenham defeated Aston Villa 4-1 after coming back from behind thanks to two goals from Dominic Solanke. Tottenham moved up to eighth place when he doubled his season total with two goals.
Within four minutes of the second half, Solanke, a summer acquisition worth £65 million, scored twice. His first goal, which was set up by Dejan Kulusevski, was a deft chip over Emiliano Martinez, the goalie for Villa.
Richarlison helped Solanke score his second goal shortly after. This goal cemented Tottenham’s lead, rendering the match impossible for Villa to win and ensuring a decisive triumph.
Aston Villa initially took the lead in the 32nd minute with Morgan Rogers scoring the game’s first goal after Spurs struggled to defend Lucas Digne’s corner.
Villa could have taken the lead sooner since only a few minutes before, Amadou Onana’s header struck the post. They successfully repelled Tottenham’s pressure in the first half by displaying excellent defensive structure.
But just after halftime, Brennan Johnson’s goal off of Son Heung-min’s cross gave Spurs the lead again and set the stage for a comeback.
Tottenham’s stunning 4-1 comeback victory over West Ham in their previous home game was replicated when James Maddison added a fourth goal with a skillfully executed free-kick in stoppage time.
Spurs are now within two points of fourth-place Arsenal after this victory reduced their distance on the top four. Villa, meanwhile, lost this game and lost the opportunity to move up to third place.
Tottenham’s form has been inconsistent as they work toward a Champions League return following last season’s fifth-place finish. They’ve only won consecutive league games once in their first ten matches this season.
Tottenham has shown incredible tenacity, even though they haven’t been as successful as they were under manager Ange Postecoglou last season. They were at the top of the Premier League in early November of last season, but they have had trouble keeping up that pace.
This game also marked Tottenham’s 12th home league match in 2024 where they conceded first. Despite this trend, they’ve equaled the record for home wins after conceding the opening goal, achieving it for the eighth time.
Villa’s goal stemmed from Tottenham’s familiar set-piece vulnerability. Digne’s corner deflected toward Guglielmo Vicario, whose parry gave Rogers the chance to score.
Before the half, Ollie Watkins had a chance to put Villa ahead, but he missed it by a tiny margin, giving Spurs a chance to rebound.
Spurs came out of the half more determined, restricting Villa’s chances and promptly tying the score with a goal from Johnson, helped along by Son’s injury comeback.
Postecoglou praised his players’ resilience, stating, “There is great belief in these players. We stick to our principles and when we do that, we are hard to stop.” He added that Tottenham felt confident they’d finish strong if they increased their intensity.
