Aston Villa kept their Champions League hopes alive with a 2-0 win over a weakened Tottenham side at Villa Park.
Second-half goals from Ezri Konsa and Boubacar Kamara ensured Unai Emery’s men leapfrogged Manchester City into the Premier League’s top four for the time being.
Despite a spirited and open first half, neither side found a breakthrough before the interval. Villa dominated possession – boasting 72% of the ball – and created several chances, the best of which came from Morgan Rogers and Marco Asensio, both denied by Spurs’ stand-in goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.
Tottenham, though injury-hit and clearly with one eye on their Europa League final in Bilbao, remained a threat on the break, with Heung-min Son and Wilson Odobert going close.
The second half, however, belonged to the home side. Villa upped the tempo and made their dominance count in the 59th minute.
John McGinn’s floated corner was nodded down by Ollie Watkins into the path of Ezri Konsa, who slotted home a composed finish through the legs of Yves Bissouma and into the far corner.
One more to go 👊 pic.twitter.com/RCun4jeLz4
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 16, 2025
It was a well-worked set piece and a deserved reward for Villa’s sustained pressure.
From that moment, Tottenham visibly retreated further, offering little in response. Emery’s side seized the initiative and tightened their grip on the game, monopolising possession and reducing Spurs to speculative counters.
The home fans barely had time to settle after a flurry of substitutions when Kamara settled the match in the 73rd minute. Rogers teed up the midfielder just outside the box, and Kamara glided past half-hearted defensive challenges before slotting a clinical low strike into the bottom-left corner for his first Premier League goal.
With the contest effectively over, Villa were able to see out the game comfortably. Leon Bailey and Donyell Malen were introduced to keep the energy high, while captain John McGinn received a deserved ovation as he made way in stoppage time.
Tottenham, who have now lost 12 of their 14 league matches against the Premier League’s current top seven, were again haunted by their defensive frailties. They’ve now failed to keep a clean sheet in 13 consecutive top-flight games – a run stretching back to February – and offered little fight in a game that looked like more of a distraction ahead of their European final.
Villa, by contrast, are now unbeaten in 21 home games in all competitions. The result marked their eighth win in nine league matches, a welcome boost as they push to qualify for Europe’s elite competition.
