Tottenham took control of their clash with Aston Villa, with huge implications in the race for the top four.
Tottenham‘s clash with Aston Villa had all of the makings of an enthralling tie in the race for Champions League qualification. Villa started the game five points clear of Spurs, but with one extra game played in the Premier League.
The potential six-pointer at Villa Park was set to swing the favour of the race towards the top four, no matter the result. It was far from the heavy hitting encounter expected though, with a first half tactical stalemate.
That deadlock was broken in the second half though, as James Maddison was able to latch onto the end of a Pape Matar Sarr cross. The playmaker, who had been taunted by the home faithful all match, hit back with his signature darts celebration.
That lead was doubled quickly after as Spurs won possession high up, with Heung-Min Son feeding through Brennan Johnson for a tidy finish. The Welsh international wheeled away in celebration, even taking time to shush the Aston Villa fans.
It was a devastating spell from Ange Postecoglou‘s side, with the opportunity to close in on fourth place. Frustration was clearly felt from Unai Emery’s team in a few of the challenges that followed the goals as the match turned physical.
Tempers flared as John McGinn’s cynical swipe at Destiny Udogie saw a straight red card, with a mass brawl following the challenge.
Aston Villa vs Tottenham fallout
The impact of the head-to-head is set to extend well beyond just the result of the match for both teams. McGinn’s absence for the next three league games will force changes for Villa over the coming weeks of the season.
Meanwhile, Spurs have a fresh injury concern over Micky van de Ven, which will be a slight worry given his previous hamstring issue earlier in the season. For now though, it keeps the top four race hotly contested into the final few weeks.
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