Aston Villa 2-1 Tottenham: Luiz and Ramsey strike to sink Spurs

Aston Villa 2-1 Tottenham: Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey strike to sink Spurs and keep up their push for place in Europe next season… as Unai Emery’s side draw level on points with north London strugglers

• Aston Villa were in full control as they cruised to a 2-1 victory over Tottenham on Saturday at Villa Park
• Jacob Ramsey opened the scoring in the first-half before Douglas Luiz notched a second to double the lead
• Re-live all the action from Villa Park as well as the other 3pm kick-offs as Unai Emery’s side secured victory

Unai Emery did not give much away, he simply clenched a fist and shook it towards the jubilant crowd but the master of the Europa League expert has the competition in his sights once more after Aston Villa beat Tottenham.

Goals by Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz were enough extend Villa’s home record to six Premier League wins in a row. They move level with Spurs on points and might have moved above them on goal difference had they made more of their chances count.

Emery’s team were excellent for the first hour, and created a wealth of chances. Emi Buendia hit the bar and Fraser Forster made a wonderful save to deny Leon Bailey while they nullified Tottenham’s attack until

When Luiz curled in the second from a free-kick, the points should have been safe but the visitors produced a late scare. Harry Kane, who missed a glorious chance to level at 1-0, won a penalty and converted it in the 90th minute to spark an anxious closing spell.

Villa took went ahead early and dominated the first half after Ramsey’s goal, a fluent move sparked with a neat touch by Ollie Watkins as he evaded a rash challenge by Cristian Romero. 

Aston Villa continued their push for a place in Europe next year with a 2-1 win over Spurs

Jacob Ramsey opened the scoring in the 8th minute of the match with a close-range finish

Tottenham’s struggles have continued all season and that didn’t change in their clash with Villa

Ramsey picked the ball up, moved it wide to Leon Bailey on the right and continued his run. 

ASTON VILLA 2-0 SPURS: MATCH FACTS AND RATINGS 

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez 7; Young 7, Konsa 7.5, Mings 8, Moreno 7; McGinn 7.5, Luiz 8.5; Bailey 6.5 (Kamara 68, 6), Buendia 6.5 (Duran 68, 6), Ramsey 8; Watkins 7.5 (Cash 90+).

Subs: Olsen, Carlos, Traore, Chambers, Digne, Dendoncker.

Goals: Ramsey 8, Luiz 72,

Bookings: McGinn

Manager: Unai Emery 7

Spurs (3-4-3): Forster 6.5; Royal 6, Romero 5, Lenglet 6; Porro 5.5 (Danjuma 81), Skipp 6 (Bissouma 62, 6.5), Hojbjerg 6.5, Davies 6 (Perisic 90+); Richarlison 5.5 (Kulusevski 62, 7), Kane 7, Son 6.

Subs: Austin, Sanchez, Moura, Sarr, Craig

Goals: Kane 90 (pen)

Bookings: Skipp, Romero

Manager: Ryan Mason 6

Ref: Peter Bankes 6

Att: 42,164

Bailey made a yard and cut a cross low into the penalty box, and Ramsey arrived to convert with a first time finish. It was his fifth Premier League goal of the season, all of them scored at Villa Park.

Emery’s team almost made it two with a very similar move, cutting through the Tottenham defence with surgical precision after a loose pass by Pedro Porro in a right back area. 

Watkins forged behind on the left and pulled the ball towards the penalty spot.

This time it was Bailey arriving and swept the chance low towards the corner with his left foot. The ball seemed destined for the net but Forster produced a fabulous reaction save, down quickly to keep it out with a strong left hand.

Villa gathered momentum and ought to have made more of their chances. Watkins hurled himself headfirst at a fizzing cross from left-back Alex Moreno and could not quite make enough contact.

 His header skidded wide at the far post, and Buendia rattled the bar with a left-footer after Spurs were hustled into another error in possession, deep in their own half.

Villa pinned the visitors back for long spells in the first half with a perilously high defensive line superbly marshalled by Tyrone Mings.

Spurs struggled to break it down. When they thought they had slipped clear, they were in fact offside. Heung-min Son, who scored a hat-trick in this fixture last season, was frustrated more often than most.

Remove those efforts that would have been ruled out by late flags, and they did not muster a shot of any description before the interval. Nor did they force a corner.

All of which fuelled discontent in the away end, where the travelling supporters filled any potential lull in the atmosphere with a chorus of protest song about their desire to see chairman Daniel Levy leave the club.

John McGinn fired wide in second half and Forster saved from Buendia as Villa started the second half with similar intent but a glorious chance to equalise fell to Kane, in the 52nd minute.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg won the ball as Luiz received a Mings pass deep in defence and the tackle sent Kane through on goal, with only Martinez to beat, and the time and space to pick his spot.

 Villa’s former Arsenal ‘keeper made the save, however, and Villa recovered to smother the chance created by the rebound.

Midfielder Douglas Luiz netted the second for the hosts who solidified their ambitions to play European football next season

Ramsey got the better of Spurs defender Pedro Porro and poked the ball in the back of the net to open the scoring early on

The north London side have won just one game out of their last six matches in all competitions in a poor ending to the campaign

England captain Kane’s 210th goal in the English top-flight comes in vain as Spurs falter to another loss

A huge chance away by but Tottenham sparked into life. Mason’s substitutions also added impetus. On came Yves Bissouma, his first appearance since an ankle injury in early February, and Dejan Kulusevski, who lifted the tempo and had an instant impact by jinking past Moreno and curling a shot narrowly wide of the far post.

But no sooner had the hope of a way back flickered than it disappeared with Villa’s a second, a delicious free-kick teased over the wall and beyond Forster’s dive by Luiz after another clumsy foul from behind by Romero on Watkins.

There was a lifeline for Spurs when Martinez rushed from his line and tripped Kane, released by Kulusevski. It required the intervention of the VAR. Referee Peter Bankes initially gave a corner but replays showed Martinez did not touch the ball.

Bankes checked his monitor and pointed to the spot and Kane converted his 27th of the season. It was the first goal conceded by Villa at home since February, and it brought Kane’s miss back into focus. It also made for a nervous final few minutes as Son found the net, only to be denied by another flag, but Villa deserved the win and they hung on to claim victory.

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