English Premier League

Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa: Premier League – as it happened

October 19, 2025

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Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa: Premier League – as it happened

Key events

That’s all from me. Congratulations to Aston Villa. Thank you for reading, and for your emails. Until next time, bye!

Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa: Matt Hughes’ match report

Peter McLeod, via email, has seen things slightly differently.

“That was a heist. Happy to admit my bias as a Spurs fan but I can’t help thinking the result is having an outsize influence on the takes on this game. Absolutely classic Premier League heist in which Villa got battered for most of the match but picked up two extremely unlikely goals via shots from outside the area. I desperately want Spurs to be more creative and especially to be more clinical with chances in the box, but equally if I were a Villa fan I’d be delighting in a very jammy three points.”

Just under 20 minutes to go until kick-off at Anfield. Join Rob Smyth for the latest.

Here is a roundup of the action elsewhere across the continent. Nico Paz looks like a special player.

North of the border, Dundee have beaten Celtic 2-0! That means Hearts have a five-point lead at the top and the Gorgie Boys host Celtic at Tynecastle next Sunday!

“Spurs were pedestrian,” emails Mark Eyeington. “They never looked like a creative side.”

A deserved win by Villa, who stayed in the game in the first half and were the better team in the second. Rogers’ goal was sublime, as was the pass from Cash to set up Villa’s winning goal.

Spurs faded badly. Kudus was the only creative spark, and as the Ghanaian tired, Tottenham’s urgency evaporated. Once again, Tel and Odobert did not do enough from the start to justify their inclusion and Simons was tidy without being decisive. Chances arrived through set pieces and long throws but Spurs were not able to capitalise.

This is what that result does to the Premier League standings. Tottenham miss the chance to go second, while Villa move up into the top half of the table.

Full-time: Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa

That’s five wins on the bounce for Villa in all competitions! Boos ring around the stadium from the home fans.

90+6 min: A much more difficult chance for Johnson, a bouncing ball is sliced high and wide from an acute-ish angle. What a win this looks like for Villa.

Big chance for Kolo Muani!

90+4 min: Spurs pump a hopeful corner towards the back post, Palhinha nods back across goal and the ball falls kindly to Kolo Muani on the penalty spot … but the France international completely misses the ball, an air kick!

90+2 min: Villa are managing this game well. All their subs have made a real impact since coming on, and the visitors look compact defensively and are tidy with the ball when they have it.

90 min: Seven added on for Spurs to find an equaliser. But it’s Villa on the offensive, as Watkins drives at the Spurs defence with only Van de Ven to beat. The Dutchman bides his time brilliantly and makes an important challenge. Spurs are pushing forward and look vulnerable at the back.

89 min: Kudus looks tired, and Maatsen has made a real difference for Villa since coming on.

87 min: Villa win a corner, but Spurs counter with Porro, who has an opportunity to play in Kolo Muani, but skews his through ball all the way through to Martínez.

85 min: More changes from the bench. Spurs bring on Sarr for Bentancur as a straight swap, and make an attacking substitution in replacing Spence for Brennan Johnson.

84 min: Am I the only one slightly underwhelmed by Simons? The Dutchman arrived at Tottenham with a big reputation and a big pricetag, but doesn’t look decisive enough, or a particularly big upgrade on the injured Maddison.

Simons has undeniable talent – anyone can see that – but he isn’t making a big enough impact, for me, when Spurs have the ball.

82 min: Both sides have made changes: Spurs have replaced Simons and Odobert for Bergvall and Kolo Muani, the latter making his Premier League debut for Tottenham.

Villa bring on Maatsen for Digne, an expected change given the danger of Kudus. But Digne played his part for Villa’s second goal, fair play. Barkley is also on, for Onana.

79 min: I would argue that Rogers probably was in Vicario’s line of vision, but replays show that Danso was playing the Villa man onside, so the Spurs keeper’s claims are immaterial!

GOAL! Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa (Buendia 78)

Out of nothing, Villa take the lead! An outrageous diagonal volley from Cash finds Digne. Buendia takes charge of the ball, drives inside from the right wing and curls a finish into the far corner! Vicario didn’t dive, and claims that Rogers – standing in an offside position – got in his line of vision, but the goal stands! Villa have come from behind to lead!

Aston Villa’s Emiliano Buendia scores their second. Photograph: David Klein/Reuters

Buendia (c) celebrates with teammates after scoring their second goal. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

75 min: Great defending at both ends, as Buendia works back to dispossess Kudus before Spence denies Watkins on a dangerous Aston Villa counter-attack.

73 min: Just under an hour to go until Liverpool v Manchester United gets underway. You can follow that, and get the latest team news, right here.

71 min: Cash overhits the corner. Poor. Emery will surely be furious.

70 min: One of two obvious moments aside, this has been a game low on quality. Kudus looks like the man most likely to create something for Spurs. Villa have been quiet, although Digne has just won a corner off Porro. Here come the cavalry.

68 min: We are told that both sides have agreed to the use of towels for the throw ins, so they are permitted. Danso dries the ball off and hurls another missile into the Villa penalty area. Martínez flaps, gets nowhere near the ball, and the visitors are lucky that the ball does not fall to a Spurs boot, with the goal gaping.

66 min: Kudus is given Digne all sorts of problems down Spurs’ right flank. I would not be surprised to see Maatsen on soon, especially as Digne is carrying that knock.

64 min: It looks like McGinn will play out on the right in Guessand’s absence, with Buendia on the left of midfield. Those two either side of Kamara and Onana, with Rogers in behind Watkins.

62 min: Villa respond with two changes of their own: Watkins on for Males, and Buendia on for Guessand, who has been completely anonymous.

60 min: First substitution for Tottenham: Richarlison on for Tel, who pressed well but didn’t really look like troubling Martínez, miscueing his only opportunity.

57 min: For the first time in the match, Malen finds some space behind the Spurs defence. The pace of Van de Ven forces the Villa forward wide and Malen is forced into an early shot, which finds the side netting.

55 min: Back come Tottenham, and a delicious pass from Porro inside Digne releases Kudus, who gets to the byline, cuts the ball back towards the penalty spot, and Villa scramble it away.

Next Martínez is forced into a point-blank save from a Spence cross, but Spurs’ attackers (Bentancur and Tel) are ruled offside from the cross. Much better from the home side, who have started this second half the better side.

53 min: Danso with a long throw – aided by a towel from the sidelines – and the ball drops kindly to Odobert eight yards out and the Spurs winger volleys a shot right into the chest of Konsa! There are appeals for a penalty/handball, but Simon Hooper waves play on. Good decision, the ball did hit Konsa’s hand but it was right in front of his chest.

49 min: Danso and Digne clatter into each other inside the Spurs penalty area. Danso actually won the ball in the tackle, but followed through onto Digne’s ankle, and the Villa full-back is left in a heap on the turf. That looks a really sore one. VAR have a look to see if there should be any punishment for Danso, but they rule it was accidental and not dangerous play. Digne feels differently, after rising gingerly to his feet.

47 min: Simons, playing centrally today, drifts out onto Tottenham’s left wing but can’t get past Kamara, who reads the play wonderfully.

Peeeeeeep!

The second half begins. No changes from either side at half-time.

Half-time reading:

Half-time: Tottenham 1-1 Aston Villa

Spurs have shaded the half, but a sensational strike from Rogers means the two sides are all square at the break.

45+3 min: After a wonderful take on the run from Porro, the Spurs right back appeals for a penalty after booting a ball towards his compatriot Torres. Replays show it hit the Villa centre back on the backside. Porro is a very good player, but he does have an irritable temperament.

45 min: Five minutes added on.