Tottenham vs Aston Villa: Premier League preview, team news, stats, prediction, kick-off time
Tottenham look set to still be without Steven Bergwijn, while Villa boss Dean Smith could stick with the same XI; follow Tottenham vs Aston Villa in our dedicated live match blog; watch free match highlights on Sky Sports digital platforms and YouTube channel shortly after FT
Sunday 3 October 2021 12:33, UK
Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Tottenham vs Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday; kick-off 2pm.
Team news
Tottenham look set to still be without Steven Bergwijn for the visit of Aston Villa.
The Netherlands international has missed the last three games with a sprained ankle and is unlikely to be fit.
Ben Davies has suspected appendicitis and missed Thursday's Europa Conference League win over NS Mura.
Villa boss Dean Smith could stick with the same XI that won at Manchester United last week.
Axel Tuanzebe is available having been ineligible against his parent club at Old Trafford but Leon Bailey (quad) is not expected to resume training until the international break.
Morgan Sanson (hamstring) and Trezeguet (knee) remain out.
How to follow
Follow Tottenham vs Aston Villa in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after full-time.
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Last time out...
Jones Knows' prediction
Picking a winner in this one sums up just what a tough gig it is predicting match results in the Premier League. However, one thing you can surely guarantee is that Tottenham will not be as passive as they were in the opening 20 minutes of their dismal showing at Arsenal last weekend. Nuno Espirito Santo isn't an attack-minded coach but he's also not an idiot. Sitting back and playing for a 1-0 victory at home to Aston Villa won't be an acceptable strategy.
Spurs simply have to commit men forward, something they have done to good affect already in the Nuno era. Remember, this is a team that beat Manchester City at home on the opening day playing incisive and brave counter-attack football and one that gave Chelsea an almighty scare in the first 45 minutes before Thomas Tuchel grabbed hold of the game after the break.
So, how do we profit from this predicted Spurs strategy? Well, with Aston Villa likely to go toe-to-toe with Spurs in the early stages, we should see a game full of attacking intent, goals and lots of incident.
Since switching to a back three and allowing more licence to the full-backs, Villa have won 21 corners in three matches, averaging seven per game - and two of those fixtures were away at Chelsea and Manchester United. With the predicted fast start from Spurs which should see opportunities to win corners, I'd be very surprised if the game doesn't produce 11 or more, which is the average total a Premier League usually produces. This one has all the hallmarks of being above that average. Don't be scared of attacking the higher lines either, with 14 or more at 7/2 with Sky Bet a runner.
SCORE PREDICTION: 2-2
BETTING ANGLE: 11 or more corners to be taken in match (Evens with Sky Bet)
Opta stats
- Tottenham have won 10 of their last 12 Premier League games against Aston Villa (L2), though those two defeats in that run have come in home games (0-1 in April 2015, 1-2 in May 2021).
- Aston Villa are looking to win consecutive league games against Spurs for the first time since September 2008, while they last won consecutive away games against the London side back in August 1995.
- Since the start of last season, Aston Villa have won three of their seven Premier League away games in London (D1 L3), including a 2-1 victory at Spurs. The Villans had won just three of their previous 29 top-flight visits to the capital before this (D4 L22).
- Tottenham have lost their last three Premier League games by an aggregate score of 9-1. They last lost four in a row in the competition in November 2004 (a run of 6).
- Aston Villa are looking for three consecutive Premier League victories for the first time since winning their first four games in the competition last season. Meanwhile, the last time the Villans won three consecutive top-flight games without conceding was in December 2009 (a run of four, of which the second was a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford).
