Konsa and Kamara sink Tottenham to maintain Aston Villa’s top-five push

Ange Postecoglou cannot flight that sinking feeling. This clip it arrived approaching the hr mark, Ezri Konsa opening the scoring earlier Boubacar Kamara doubled Aston Villa’s vantage to supply Unai Emery with a large boost successful their effort to suffice for the Champions League.

The Villa manager emerged earlier kick-off high-fiving supporters and determination were akin scenes aft the full-time whistle, with these 3 points different immense takeaway. For Postecoglou, it was different unedifying decision and arsenic mentation for Wednesday’s Europa League last against Manchester United goes, this was different sapping outing. By the extremity the aboriginal committedness of Son Heung- min, 1 of the fewer starters who whitethorn besides statesman successful Bilbao, had agelong since fizzled out.

At this constituent it is intriguing to see rather however galore bruising results Spurs tin tummy successful 1 season. Postecoglou made 3 changes from past Sunday’s decision by Crystal Palace but ended up connected the incorrect extremity of different 2-0 loss. This was their 25th decision of the run successful each competitions, equalling the nine grounds for a azygous season, acceptable successful 1991-92, and Tottenham person present mislaid 8 of their past 11 top-flight matches, their lone triumph successful that tally coming against Southampton, the worst squad successful the division. Spurs, a spot supra the relegation zone, are not excessively acold down them.

This Spurs squad volition beryllium much-changed erstwhile they tally retired successful Spain adjacent week. Sergio Reguilón made his archetypal Premier League commencement of the play and his archetypal for Tottenham since April 2022, erstwhile Antonio Conte was successful charge. Dejan Kulusevski was absent aft undergoing genu surgery. Mikey Moore besides came into the starting lineup and Son’s aboriginal moving caused problems.

Until scoring Villa appeared a interaction fraught, a small excessively keen to grounds a triumph that momentarily moves them level connected points with Newcastle. Spurs besides had a mates of decent chances, Emiliano Martínez making a superb, instinctive prevention aft 16 minutes to repel Wilson Odobert’s flicked effort. Moments earlier Martínez fumed astatine however acold Odobert was allowed to transportation the shot earlier locating Son, who chopped wrong Matty Cash and sent a almighty changeable against a stanchion.

There were ominous signs for Spurs, too, Morgan Rogers going adjacent and Marco Asensio flashing wide. Konsa besides sent a header astatine Antonin Kinsky from a John McGinn free-kick, awarded aft Pape Matar Sarr had a mates of nibbles astatine Asensio, but connected that juncture his effort lacked conviction.

Ezri Konsa pounces to springiness Aston Villa the lead. Photograph: Nigel French/PA

Villa had started dilatory aft the interval. Emery waved his players guardant with some hands and hopped connected the touchline, urging Amadou Onana to marque beingness uncomfortable arsenic they had for overmuch of the archetypal half. Then Kevin Danso blocked an Ian Maatsen changeable and astatine the consequent country Villa sparked into life. McGinn, the Villa captain, sent the shot towards the backmost post, wherever Ollie Watkins directed a header towards the six-yard container and Konsa, who eluded his marker Mathys Tel, sent a changeable successful done the legs of the Spurs substitute Yves Bissouma.

It spoke volumes of the value of the onslaught that each outfield subordinate joined the celebrations. There was astir apt an constituent of surprise, too, fixed it was Konsa’s 2nd league extremity successful 14 months.

Postecoglou, arms folded, swivelled successful the dugout wearing that acquainted despondent face. It could person got adjacent worse for Spurs a infinitesimal aboriginal but Kinsky made a astute prevention aft the shot trickled done to Watkins, who took a whack from Ben Davies arsenic helium pulled the trigger. Just arsenic the nerves appeared to beryllium seeping into Villa’s play, determination was a communal outpouring of relief. No wonderment fixed Villa’s location signifier has been imperious, their sole league decision by Arsenal present successful August.

Villa assumed full power of the crippled from there: connected 73 minutes Kamara sidestepped Bissouma connected the borderline of the container earlier rattling a debased changeable past Kinsky. At the clip Spurs were readying a treble change, preparing to present Dominic Solanke and Rodrigo Bentancur. Brennan Johnson, a erstwhile Villa target, aboriginal arrived disconnected the bench. Postecoglou was unmoved arsenic Villa’s enactment unravelled earlier his eyes. Suddenly Spurs, who teased flickers of class, were shot.