(Gallagher 86’, Van Hecke 90+8′ | Manzambi 45+4′, Jackson 67′, Buendia 79′)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM – Over to north London, where three weeks of miserable overthinking was guaranteed, but for which side?
The answer, emphatically, is Tottenham Hotspur, whose fans rose in their thousands in the 79th minute to leave this temple of doom – the best stadium in the Premier League, merely a happy hunting ground for those who visit.
Three home league wins here since the start of 2025-26 is nothing short of shambolic, and to collapse in this manner against an Aston Villa side short of confidence themselves will make those weeks feel like months.
Those who stayed did at least witness two late goals – “You’ve scored a goal!” chanted the Villa fans after the first, before Spurs replied, “We’ve scored a goal!” – but the second was the penultimate touch of the game and hardly changed the issues Roberto De Zerbi must address.
And inevitably, with Manchester United away next on 10 October, the heat on De Zerbi will only turn up if they stumble at Old Trafford.
Ahead of kick-off, the jeopardy, and the fun, was in the not knowing which side would head into the international break winless in the league.
Spurs named a strong XI after showing glimpses of what they could become under De Zerbi at Anfield, while off the back of a Carabao Cup win at Coventry City, Villa welcomed back Joao Gomes and started summer signing Johan Manzambi for the first time.
Crucial to Villa securing a third straight win at this ground was ensuring the home supporters had little to get behind early on, but Spurs had the wind behind them after sustained pressure led to Zion Suzuki producing a double save to deny Savio.
Robust tackles and questionable fouls not given ensured Spurs’ players and fans remained in harmony, while Villa were largely reduced to long balls for Manzambi and Nicolas Jackson to chase.
The reality for Villa was knowing the groans would grow the longer it remained goalless. Archie Gray – on for the injured Pedro Porro – was denied a goal with his first touch, and the Suzuki vs Spurs show continued when the Villa goalkeeper then flew to his right to keep out a third Savio attempt.
But just as Spurs’ shortfalls in one box were letting them down, their ineptness in the other box came to the fore, and after Emiliano Buendia and Jackson went close, it was Manzambi who put Villa ahead.
From a Spurs perspective, it was inexplicable. Andy Robertson sought to prevent a corner but merely gifted the ball to John McGinn, who found Boubacar Kamara – his shot then turned in by Manzambi at a time Micky van de Ven was off the pitch.
Thus came Tottenham’s biggest battle, against themselves. After the goal, a child behind the press seats roared in anger, and then at half-time a smattering of jeers echoed around the ground. If they were to claw something back, it would have to be through a familiar air of bubbling frustration.
Spurs were flatter in the second half, the introduction of Mohammed Kudus seemingly not having the desired effect, although on the hour mark it was the Ghanaian who bundled the ball into the net.
A league goal! Relief! An equaliser! Half an hour to grab a winner! In the excitement, Kudus ran the ball back to the halfway line, while Savio went to congratulate Robertson, who had made the goal, but after the dreaded VAR “checking for possible offside” screen flashed up, the goal was chalked off and Spurs were back chasing the game.
And then they were virtually out of it, with Jackson besting Jan Paul van Hecke (again) and then Van de Ven before striking an effort Antonín Kinsky could only get a soft hand to.
More groans. More of the same, as far as Tottenham fans were concerned, and many then departed when Buendia curled in a third.
Conor Gallagher’s late goal did at least ensure Spurs are off the mark in the league in terms of goals, but that was no comfort given Van Hecke’s header that followed was the last act of the game.
If two goals change anything, then it is minimal. The timing arguably only rubs further salt in the wounds and does little to address their most glaring problem.
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Rough maths suggests both penalty areas make up 18.5 per cent of the pitch, and when you struggle to put away chances – when it actually matters – and cannot defend at this level, it simply does not matter what happens in the other 81.5 per cent.
It is Spurs’ biggest blind spot, £300m later, and leaves De Zerbi with homework while the majority of this squad head off for an international break that will feel like a reprieve – until the Old Trafford meeting draws closer.