Premier League: Ollie Watkins’s Winner Sinks Tottenham 2-1 As Aston Villa Enter Top Four – News18

Ollie Watkins fired Aston Villa into fourth place within the Premier League as they got here from behind to win 2-1 at Tottenham on a day the hosts paid tribute to former boss Terry Venables.

Unai Emery’s aspect trailed to Giovani Lo Celso’s first aim of the season within the first half in north London.

But Pau Torres equalised simply earlier than the break and Watkins’ twelfth aim this time period wrapped up a formidable outcome for revitalised Villa.

Villa moved above Tottenham into fourth, with Ange Postecoglou’s workforce falling two factors behind them in fifth after a 3rd successive defeat stalled their early-season momentum.

Tottenham have squandered the lead in all three of their defeats, however Postecoglou may level to the accidents which have robbed him of a number of key gamers together with James Maddison.

Villa’s resilient third away win of their final 11 league video games underlined the enhancements made by Emery since he changed the sacked Steven Gerrard final season.

Sitting simply two factors behind leaders Arsenal, Villa have received 4 of their final 5 league video games to spark real hopes of a high 4 problem.

As a revolutionary former supervisor of England, Barcelona and Tottenham, the place he received the FA Cup in 1991, Venables would have appreciated the attacking high quality of each groups on the day he handed away aged 80.

With each groups carrying black armbands, an image of Venables was displayed on every of the large screens throughout a minute of applause in celebration of his life earlier than kick-off.

Tottenham had been on high within the opening phases and Dejan Kulusevski blasted in opposition to the publish after exhibiting nimble footwork to prise open the Villa defence.

Postecoglou’s males had been again on the offensive as Bryan Gil was denied by a nice save from Emiliano Martinez.

Their enterprising play reaped a deserved reward within the twenty second minute when Villa may solely clear a nook to the sting of the realm, the place Lo Celso hammered a strong strike that deflected in off Carlos.

Villa thought they’d mustered a direct response as Watkins glanced his header previous Guglielmo Vicario from Lucas Digne’s cross.

But, after a VAR test of virtually three minutes, the aim was disallowed for a decent offside in opposition to Watkins.

Kulusevski was inches away from doubling Tottenham’s lead with a roller earlier than Son Heung-min’s aim was chalked off for one more offside.

For all their dashing play in assault, Tottenham had been weak on the again and Villa took benefit in first half stoppage-time.

Douglas Luiz’s free-kick discovered Torres unmarked 10 yards out and the Spanish defender thumped his header previous Vicario, with the aim surviving one other prolonged VAR test.

Villa had been practically gifted the lead early within the second half when Vicario allowed Leon Bailey’s shot to squirm underneath him earlier than gratefully grabbing the ball after it rebounded off the publish.

Emery’s males uncovered the failings in Tottenham’s defence once more to take the lead within the 61st minute.

A neat transfer climaxed with Watkins enjoying a one-two with Youri Tielemans to open up the creaky Tottenham rearguard earlier than the England striker guided a medical end into the far nook from 12 yards.

Pedro Porro was shut an immediate equaliser with a strike that Martinez pushed away at full-stretch.

Villa remained a risk and Digne’s free-kick pressured a very good save from Vicario earlier than Watkins headed narrowly huge.

Martinez made wonderful stops to repel efforts from Brennan Johnson and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg earlier than Son’s strike was disallowed for offside to cap a irritating afternoon for Tottenham.

(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – AFP)