“We're in the semi-finals and of course we are going to enjoy the match and enjoy the process. To play in the semi-final of the Europa League is fantastic. I don't play one match like this in three years here.

"The supporters forget we are having a fantastic season and we are on the same points as Liverpool on 58."

Post match reaction from Unai Emery

06:00 , Mike Jones

The Aston Villa boss said: "Today we faced a team that played fantastically and they competed fantastically. They needed the points and they fought to get it.

"In the first half we didn't perform well, in the second half we reacted but it was not enough. In 35 games, things are very good and we have the advantage to still be in the top five but we must continue to be demanding.

"Maybe the points [for Champions League qualification] is not enough and we must try to recover our form and do the things we were doing - there are still three matches to go. They [Tottenham] played fantastic, they pressed, they won duels and we were not dominant in individual duels and they beat us."

Who could be relegated?

04:00 , Luke Baker

West Ham United

Position: 18th | Played: 35 | Points: 36 | GD: -19

Remaining fixtures:

9 May - Arsenal (H)
17 May - Newcastle (A)
24 May - Leeds (H)

Where to pick up points? Their impressive form since hugely damaging back-to-back defeats to Wolves and Nottingham Forest at the start of the year have seen West Ham go from doomed to having a genuine chance of survival – even climbing out of the bottom three by thumping Wolves 4-0 straight after the international break. Another point at Crystal Palace may be seen as two lost rather than one gained considering the Eagles’ form, but they bounced back with the late win over Everton. Welcoming Leeds to the London Stadium on the final day looms incredibly large and could prove pivotal.

Tricky contests? A heavy defeat to Brentford may not have been totally deserved for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, yet is nonetheless ill-timed and highly-damaging. A trip across town to Arsenal is unwelcome, too.

Final straight? If West Ham can get through to mid-May with a realistic shot at survival then an away game against Newcastle and a home clash with Leeds to finish the season might just be the ticket to get them clear of the drop zone. The final-day showdown against Daniel Farke’s side could be an all-time classic but won’t be a pretty watch if both sides are still fighting for their lives. However, Leeds might already be safe by then and the fact that the Whites are coming to the London Stadium at least plays into Nuno and co’s hands.

Who could be relegated?

03:00 , Luke Baker

Tottenham Hotspur

Position: 17th | Played: 35 | Points: 37 | GD: -9

Remaining fixtures:

9 May - Leeds (H)
17 May - Chelsea (A)
24 May - Everton (H)

Where to pick up points? A potentially pivotal clash with Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium three matches from the end of the campaign will be a golden opportunity for Tottenham after escaping the bottom three.

Tricky contests? Sidestepping the obvious quip of ‘every single one’, given their form this season, an away games at Champions League-chasing Chelsea doesn’t look likely to prove fruitful.

Final straight? Leeds at home as the third-last game is absolutely huge. Should that game go awry and Spurs head into the final two matches in the relegation zone, then a trip to Stamford Bridge and clash with Everton to finish up appear unlikely to provide succour.

Who could be relegated?

02:00 , Luke Baker

Nottingham Forest

Position: 16th | Played: 34 | Points: 39 | GD: -4

Remaining fixtures:

4 May - Chelsea (A)
9 May - Newcastle (H)
17 May - Manchester United (A)
24 May - Bournemouth (H)

Where to pick up points? Forest had to make the most of a home fixture against doomed Burnley and, inspired by a 15-minute Morgan Gibbs-White hat-trick, they seized that golden opportunity. They then followed that up with a statement 5-0 thrashing of a Sunderland side who are largely on the beach. That could be enough to get over the line. If not, a home game against a struggling Newcastle side who may have nothing to play for could be their best chance.

Tricky contests? Games against three sides chasing European places still await Forest with trips to Manchester United and Chelsea on the docket, plus a home finale against Bournemouth. Forest also have to negotiate the second leg of their Europa League semi-final with Aston Villa, which may prove a distraction.

Final straight? It’s not the best with a journey to Old Trafford on the penultimate day of the season far from ideal and then hosting Bournemouth on the final day also a tricky finish. A home match against a floundering Newcastle as their antepenultimate fixture could be worse though. Things could be complicated by their Europa League distraction, however.

Who could be relegated?

01:00 , Luke Baker

Leeds United

Position: 15th | Played: 35 | Points: 43 | GD: -5

Remaining fixtures:

9 May - Tottenham (A)
17 May - Brighton (H)
24 May - West Ham (A)

Where to pick up points? The fixtures fell fairly kindly for Leeds and after their seminal win over Manchester United – a first league victory at Old Trafford since 1981 – as well as a 3-0 home victory over Wolves and win over Burnley, it looks probable that they will secure Premier League football next season.

Tricky contests? Hosting European football-chasing Brighton in their penultimate fixture won’t be easy, particularly with trips to their relegation rivals either side of that game.

Final straight? Leeds look safe, but they will be desperate to have that secured by the time they travel to West Ham on the final day. If not, that could be a high-octane shootout for survival.

Premier League relegation battle: Do Tottenham, West Ham, Nottingham Forest or Leeds have the best run-in?

00:00 , Mike Jones

Tottenham have given their survival chances a huge boost with a 2-1 win over Aston Villa as they bid to avoid the unthinkable: relegation from the Premier League.

Demotion to the second tier for a Spurs side that won the Europa League last season, reached the Champions League knockout stage this term and has spent just one season outside the top flight since 1950 would go down as one of the biggest shocks in Premier League history.

Premier League relegation battle: Who has the best run-in?

Tottenham given lifeline as West Ham suffer damaging Brentford defeat in relegation battle

23:00 , Mike Jones

West Ham’s Premier League survival is no longer in their own hands after Brentford boosted their European bid with a 3-0 win.

The Hammers, who could have moved five points clear of trouble with a victory, will now find themselves back in the bottom three if Tottenham beat Aston Villa on Sunday.

Tottenham given lifeline as West Ham suffer damaging Brentford defeat

How Tottenham gave their Premier League survival hopes new life with vital win at Aston Villa

22:30 , Mike Jones

Tottenham looked like a team destined to secure Premier League survival after they beat a dire Aston Villa 2-1 to move out of the bottom three.

Spurs put in their best performance of the season to claim three crucial points at Villa Park, thanks to first-half goals from Conor Gallagher and Richarlison.

How Spurs gave their Premier League survival hopes new life with win at Aston Villa

Is Spurs' home form a worry?

22:00 , Mike Jones

A final word from De Zerbi who said: "Just one time we have played at home and the atmosphere was amazing in the stadium.

“I think it was a mental problem and these two wins, I hope we can play with more confidence and better mentality."

How does it feel to be out of bottom three?

21:56 , Mike Jones

"Nothing because the season is not finished yet,” said De Zerbi.

“We have to play another three games starting on Monday night with Leeds, they are playing very well.

“We can't forget what the situation was before Wolves. It was a very sad situation and these memories have to stay in our heads.”

De Zerbi on Gallagher

21:51 , Mike Jones

The Spurs boss added: "Gallagher, when he plays well, we play with 12 players. He is an amazing player.

“Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel played an amazing game. The two centre-backs with and without the ball, I am really pleased.”

How did Spurs beat Villa?

21:46 , Mike Jones

Roberto de Zerbi said: "The high pressure is mentality and then in possession.

“We played very well when we had to attack the space or to shoot. I love playing football. My job is to help them and show what they are capable of.”

Post match reaction from De Zerbi

21:41 , Mike Jones

The Tottenham manager told TNT Sports: "We played against Aston Villa, they are a very good team.

“A lot of very good players, a great manager but we played very well for 60 minutes without the ball and with the ball.

“We suffered with Waktins and Buendia and conceded a goal. That was the only bad thing we did on the pitch. I'm pleased with this performance from my players.

“I know how much they have suffered this season.”

Huge result for Spurs

21:36 , Mike Jones

Micah Richards spoke on MOTD about the result and admitted he didn’t see Tottenham getting the win.

“That's a huge result for Spurs,” he said. “I didn't see that coming.

“Villa were poor, but right from the start Spurs absolutely made the most of it with their desire and intensity.”

Gallagher on the Tottenham fans

21:31 , Mike Jones

They've had a really rough time this season, along with us. We're all one.

“Hopefully, this can be the start of something great."

De Zerbi has been influential

21:26 , Mike Jones

"I can't speak highly enough of him,” said Conor Gallagher when asked about the impact of Roberto de Zerbi.

“He's been so good. Every player in the squad has taken to him; he makes you feel so good.

“He brings the best out of you.”

It's always a relief

21:21 , Mike Jones

Gallagher continued his post match interview and touched on the goal he scored which was his first ever for a Tottenham player.

He said: "It's a good goal. I'm really happy with my first goal.

“It's always a relief to get the first goal and hopefully a few more can come now.”

A perfect night

21:16 , Mike Jones

Here’s some reaction from Conor Gallagher.

The Tottenham midifelder told TNT Sports: "We're really happy with the performance and the three points.

“It's been a perfect night but hopefully it's just the start.

“We want to carry it on for the last few games of the season.”

Who will be relegated?

21:11 , Mike Jones

Tottenham’s victory means they are now 17th in the table and have a one point lead over West Ham.

With three fixtures left to go can Spurs ensure their own survival?

Here’s the rest of the fixture list:

Leeds (H)

Chelsea (A)

Everton (H)

How many points will Spurs need to avoid relegation?

Who will be relegated?

21:06 , Mike Jones

Tottenham are fighting for survival against West Ham with the Hammers now down to 18th after Spurs’ win over Villa.

West Ham’s remaining fixtures are:

Arsenal (H)

Newcastle (A)

Leeds (H)

Can Nuno Espirito Santo manages to win some points from those games?

FT Aston Villa 1-2 Tottenham

21:01 , Mike Jones

Conceding the goal at the end of this match hasn’t done anything to stop the celebrations of the Tottenham supporters.

They’ve watched a second win in as many games from their team who now jump up to 17th in the table and are one point clear of the relegation zone.

Three matches remain in the season and Spurs now have fate in their own hands.

Full-time! Aston Villa 1-2 Tottenham

20:54 , Mike Jones

90+8 mins: Tottenham get a much needed win and a fully deserved one.

They outplayed and outclassed Aston Villa across the whole game and record a second win is as many games.

It’s a huge victory for the London club who jump out of the relegation zone and move one point about West Ham.

GOAL! Aston Villa 1-2 Tottenham (Emi Buendia, 90+6')

20:54 , Mike Jones

Out of nowhere, Buendia arrives in the box as the cross comes in from the right wing.

He meets it with a strong header and pulls a goal back for Villa!

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:48 , Mike Jones

90 mins: Five minutes of added time to play.

Conor Gallagher has been giventhe player of the match award and Richarlison has gone off with a limp.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:45 , Mike Jones

88 mins: Leon Bailey and Emiliano Buendia come on for Villa to play the final few minutes.

Jadon Sancho and Ross Barkley are the men taken off by Unai Emery.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:42 , Mike Jones

85 mins: At the other end of the pitch Rogers win Villa a corner and sends it into the box.

Richarlison leaps unchallenged and heads away the clearance.

Nothing at all has worked for Villa today.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:41 , Mike Jones

82 mins: Into the last 10 minutes and Spurs have a corner.

Pedro Porro whips it into the box and finds Kevin Danso who powers a headed effort at goal but drills it straight into the arms of Emi Martinez.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:35 , Mike Jones

76 mins: Rogers is raging after a battle with Porro as he wants a corner that isn’t given.

The replays show the ball comes off Rogers so it’s more frustration than anything else bubbling over for Villa’s talisman.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:30 , Mike Jones

73 mins: Djed Spence goes on a nice run down the right side and beat Ian Maatsen for pace.

He sends the ball backwards, darts into the box and receives it back before slicing a shot wide of the near post.

That’s when the offside flag goes up against him.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:28 , Mike Jones

70 mins: 20 minutes still to play in this game and Villa haven’t been able to challenge at all.

Tottenham are playing simply. Keeping the ball and being frustrating.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:24 , Mike Jones

66 mins: De Zerbi makes a couple of changes now for Spurs.

Rodrigo Bentancur and Randal Kolo Muani head off the pitch with Djed Spence and Yves Bissouma brought on.

Kolo Muani gives high fives to the watching Spurs fans are the side of the ground as he heads to the Tottenham dugout.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:22 , Mike Jones

63 mins: Kolo Munai dances inside from the left and takes a shot but this time it gets blocked due to Villa’s defence charging out.

Spurs have a concern as Bentancur goes down off the ball.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:19 , Mike Jones

60 mins: Youri Tielemans swings a corner kick into the box but Kinsky is there to punch the ball away.

Aston Villa haven’t had a shot yet. That’s quite poor for Emery’s team.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:14 , Mike Jones

57 mins: Morgan Rogers stays down after a heavy tackle from Bentancur but the Spurs midfielder won the ball.

Rogers gets back up and hobbles around for a bit but he’s fine to play on.

We’re getting to the stage of the season where players will try to avoid heavy hits and knocks as the World Cup is looming.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:12 , Mike Jones

54 mins: Tottenham win themselves a free kick and instead of whipping a cross into the box they decide to take a bit of time out of the game with some short passes.

Pedro Porro eventually swings in a long pass but Spurs don’t threaten the goal.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:08 , Mike Jones

51 mins: Ross Barkley attempts to get Aston Villa up the pitch but he’s beaten to a loose ball but the enterprising Conor Gallagher who is then fouled.

Barkley is booked for the challenge and Villa have to build again.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:05 , Mike Jones

48 mins: Villa win their first corner of the match and Sancho plays it short.

He receives the ball back and is flagged offside. A waste.

Second half! Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

20:04 , Mike Jones

Aston Villa get the ball rolling for the second half. Can they find a way back into this match?

HT Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

19:59 , Mike Jones

And here’s Richarlison’s goal, Tottenham’s second of the evening:

Richarlison grabs a second for Tottenham Hotspur and what a huge goal that could prove to be ⚽

📺 Watch live on TNT Sports and HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/q1ly6AeE0y
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 3, 2026

HT Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

19:55 , Mike Jones

Here’s Conor Gallagher’s opening goal:

A stunning goal from Conor Gallagher has Tottenham Hotspur ahead 😮‍💨

📺 Watch live on TNT Sports and HBO Max! pic.twitter.com/XaOXaYSJjy
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 3, 2026

HT Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

19:51 , Mike Jones

Two goals to the good for Tottenham.

Half-time! Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

19:47 , Mike Jones

45+1 mins: Lots of boos ring out from the home fans as the whistle goes to end the first half at Villa Park.

Aston Villa were pretty poor in that half and Tottenham were very good.

The scoreline reflects that.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

19:46 , Mike Jones

45 mins: Jadon Sancho floats the free kick into the Tottenham box but there’s a bit of argy bargy and Tyrone Mings is judged to have handled the ball.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

19:45 , Mike Jones

42 mins: Bentancur dives into a challenge and gives away a free kick to Villa.

Can they pull one back before half-time?

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

19:40 , Mike Jones

39 mins: The Villa fans aren’t happy. They want more from their team.

Tottenham are being allowed to dictate play and there hasn’t been any big tackles or urgency to get the ball back in the middle of the park.

Tottenham are in dreamland. They’re moving out of the relegation zone as it stands.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

19:38 , Mike Jones

36 mins: What does Unai Emery say to the Villa team at half-time?

He obviously picked this line-up to rest some of his key players but will he make any changes or does his trust that the current line-up will play better?

So far it’s all been Spurs.

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

19:32 , Mike Jones

33 mins: You can hear it around the ground that the Aston Villa fans are frustrated at what they’re seeing.

There’s been very little threat from the hosts but they are seeing more of the ball now. Can they create something with it?

Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham

19:30 , Mike Jones

30 mins: Richarlison’s header was sublime and Tottenham’s two-goal cushion is fully deserved.

They run rings around Villa who have barely turned up this evening.

Spurs are not playing as a team that could get relegated and Villa re not playing as a team that deserves Champions League football.

GOAL! Aston Villa 0-2 Tottenham (Richarlison, 25')

19:26 , Mike Jones

Another one!

Fully deserved as well from Spurs. Tottenham’s corner kick is recycled out to Tel on the right wing this time.

He sends it a curling cross and picks out Richarlison who bursts in between the centre backs and fires a header into the back of the net!

Aston Villa 0-1 Tottenham

19:25 , Mike Jones

24 mins: Save!

Tottenham come again. This time it’s Tel with the ball on the left wing and he hangs a nice cross over to the back post.

The ball drops to Kolo Muani who touches it into the ground and towards goal but Martinez is there to push the ball over the crossbar.

Aston Villa 0-1 Tottenham

19:22 , Mike Jones

21 mins: Tottenham burst forward after ending a Villa break.

Randal Kolo Muani drives up with the ball before slipping it to Gallagher.

His cross almosts drops to Mathys Tel who looks to shoot on the volley only for Matty Cash to nod the ball away from him before it lands.

Aston Villa 0-1 Tottenham

19:19 , Mike Jones

18 mins: Close!

Tottenham have almost doubled their lead. Again they’re afforded too much space just outside the penalty area and Joao Palhinha has possession.

He decides to take a shot and smokes another low effort at goal.

Emi Martinez leaps to the right and tips the ball onto the far post where it’s recovered by Richarlison who was offside.

Big save from Martinez!

Aston Villa 0-1 Tottenham

19:16 , Mike Jones

15 mins: That was a beautiful taken goal from Gallagher and, as things stand, it sends Tottenham back out of the relegation zone.

There’s still a long way to go in this match but Unai Emery will be worried at how passive his team have been so far.

GOAL! Aston Villa 0-1 Tottenham (Conor Gallagher, 12')

19:14 , Mike Jones

Huge moment!

And a fantastic strike from Conor Gallagher who nets his first ever goal for Spurs.

From a throw in the ball is headed out of the Villa box and Gallagher brings the ball down.

With his second touch he drills the ball along the floor and into the bottom left corner!

Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham

19:11 , Mike Jones

9 mins: Tottenham have had plenty of possession over the opening minutes of the game.

Unai Emery has set up with pretty much a second string XI and Villa are still finding their way into the game.

Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham

19:08 , Mike Jones

6 mins: Destiny Udogie goes on a nice underlapping run down the left for Spurs and flies past Jadon Sancho.

He looks to keep the ball in play at the byline before cutting back a pass only for the referee to determine that the ball rolled out of play.

It had.

Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham

19:04 , Mike Jones

3 mins: Joao Palhinha flicks the ball over to Pedro Porro who swings a curling forward pass up to Richarlison.

The Brazilian striker comes through the lines but can’t keep the ball in play.

From the resultant goal kick, Emi Martinez makes a slight error with a short pass and Richarlison is quickly on top of it and his shot gets deflected out for a corner.

Kick off! Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham

19:01 , Mike Jones

Spurs get the match underway and send the ball back to the goalkeeper.

It’s booted long and won in the middle of the park by the visitors.

Aston Villa vs Tottenham

18:56 , Mike Jones

The players make their way out of the tunnel and onto the pitch at Villa Park.

Aston Villa are aiming to keep their grip on fifth place, and could possibly jump to fourth.

Tottenham, meanwhile, need to win to jump out of the relegation zone. This will be a huge match for both teams.

Let’s see how it plays out. Kick off is up next....

Can Richarlison help Spurs?

18:50 , Mike Jones

Spurs’ Richarlison is averaging 0.72 goal involvements per 90 this season (9 goals, 4 assists in 1,615 minutes), his third-best rate in a Premier League campaign behind 2023-24 and 2024-25 (both 0.9 per 90).

Is Watkins the key man for Villa?

18:45 , Mike Jones

10 of Ollie Watkins’ 11 Premier League goals this season have come since the start of December, no player has more in that time.

Indeed, he’s scored goals in three previous Premier League games against sides managed by Roberto De Zerbi, including a hat-trick in September 2023.

High pressing Spurs

18:40 , Mike Jones

Under Roberto De Zerbi, Spurs are averaging more pressed sequences per game (12.7) and possession won in the final third per game (5.3) than they were under Thomas Frank (11.1 and 3.7) and Igor Tudor (10.8 and 3.8) in the Premier League this season.

A simple plan for Emery?

18:35 , Mike Jones

36.9% of the chances Aston Villa have created in the Premier League this season have come through the middle third of the pitch, the fourth-highest proportion behind Bournemouth (39.4%), Brighton (37.7%) and Newcastle (37.5%), while 33.9% of chances created against Spurs this season have come through the middle; the fifth-highest rate.

Do these stats point to an easy gameplan for Unai Emery and his team today?

Emery could not believe that Anderson was not sent off (PA)

Premier League has clinched fifth Champions League spot - but could get another

18:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Europa League success would, of course, mean Champions League qualification for either Aston Villa or Nottingham Forest, with another bumper group of English representatives likely to be in Europe’s top tier next season.

Premier League has clinched fifth Champions League spot - but could get another

In need of a win

18:25 , Mike Jones

Spurs ended a 15-game winless run against Wolves last time out and could record successive victories in the Premier League for the first time since their opening two matches of this season against Burnley and Manchester City.

Can Villa brush off their recent struggles?

18:20 , Mike Jones

Aston Villa have won just two of their previous seven Premier League games, suffering as many defeats as in their prior 24 matches.

However, they could win three in a row at home for the first time since January (run of eight).

A draw seems unlikely

18:15 , Mike Jones

None of the last 21 Premier League meetings between Aston Villa and Spurs have finished level.

Only Chelsea vs Crystal Palace (26 between September 1997 and February 2024) has had a longer run with no draws in the competition’s history.

The recent record

18:10 , Mike Jones

Tottenham Hotspur have lost six of their last 10 Premier League games against Aston Villa.

It is more than they had in their previous 34 against the Villans where they won 19, draw 15 and lost just five.

Two in a row for Villa?

18:05 , Mike Jones

Aston Villa won this exact fixture 2-0 last season, last beating Tottenham Hotspur in consecutive home league games in May/November 2004.

Chris Wood penalty gives Nottingham Forest edge over Aston Villa in Europa League semi-final

18:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle

For Aston Villa, this game falls between the legs of their Europa League semi-final – and there is work to be done.

Wood gives Nottingham Forest edge over Aston Villa in Europa League semi-final

Aston Villa team changes

17:55 , Mike Jones

Unai Emery makes the big decision to start Ollie Watkins on the bench. That may be down to Villa’s upcoming Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest.

The first leg was Villa’s last outing and from that line-up only Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Matty Cash and Emi Martinez keep their places.

This is a second string team from Villa who are resting their main players for the clash with Forest in a few days.

Tottenham team changes

17:52 , Mike Jones

Roberto de Zerbi makes three changes to the Tottenham line-up that defeated Wolves in their last outing.

Xavi Simons, Yves Bissouma and Dominic Solanke drop out with Mathys Tel, Joao Palhinha and Richarlison brought in.

Tottenham team to take on Villa

17:48 , Mike Jones

Tottenham XI: Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Palhinha, Gallagher; Tel, Kolo Muani, Richarlison

Our team to face Villa ✊

🔢 @krakenfx pic.twitter.com/ugyGxVfbQp
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 3, 2026

Aston Villa team to face Tottenham

17:47 , Mike Jones

Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Lindelof, Mings, Maatsen; Bogarde, Tielemans; Barkley, Sancho, Rogers; Abraham

Your #AVLTOT team news is in ✊ pic.twitter.com/6EY4SOh5Os
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 3, 2026

Team news on the way...

17:42 , Harry Latham-Coyle

We’ll have the team news from Villa Park for you in the next little while. Xavi Simons will not be involved after a cruel injury blow ahead of the World Cup.

Xavi Simons ruled out of World Cup as injury ends his Tottenham season

Glenn Hoddle reveals he offered to manage Tottenham

17:36 , Mike Jones

Tottenham Hotspur legend Glenn Hoddle has revealed he offered to take charge of the club amid their desperate fight against relegation, prior to Roberto De Zerbi’s appointment.

"They never came to us. We did, Ossie (Ardiles) and myself, after the Forest game, we felt there was a real problem there."

He added: "Ossie and I made it clear that we would go in there if they wanted us to go in there with probably a younger legend (as coach) as well."

Glenn Hoddle reveals he offered to manage Tottenham with Ossie Ardiles before Roberto De Zerbi appointment

17:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Roberto De Zerbi is the man tasked with steering Spurs to safety, but a pair of club legends had their eyes on the role, too. Glenn Hoddle and Ossie Ardiles were a great midfield double act – but I think Tottenham made the right call...

Hoddle reveals Spurs legends offered to manage team before De Zerbi appointment

De Zerbi can rebuild Tottenham

17:24 , Mike Jones

Unai Emery is confident that Roberto De Zerbi is the man to take Tottenham forward after two terrible seasons in the Premier League.

De Zerbi’s first task is to ensure Spurs don’t get relegated and if he achieves that Emery is backing him to impose an identity on Tottenham.

“De Zerbi has maybe the highest challenge of his career, to try and save them,” Emery explained. “With time, he’s going to build a strong team with his idea and style, making an impact.

“He did it here with Brighton and as well in Marseille. He has only coached three matches with Tottenham, and he will need time.

“The most important thing for them is to try to compete and escape from the bottom. He will get success during his time with Tottenham, I’m sure.”

Unai Emery fumes over ‘crazy’ decision as Elliot Anderson escapes red card: ‘Where is VAR?’

17:18 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Unai Emery was not best pleased at all by some of the officiating on Thursday, evening calling for more VAR. A rarity.

Emery fumes over ‘crazy’ decision as Anderson escapes red card: ‘Where is VAR?’

Emery on difficult task in Premier League

17:12 , Mike Jones

More from the Aston Villa boss who explained: “When we won two weeks ago in the last minute against Sunderland, I was positive. Last week when we lost against Fulham, I was not so positive about everything we’re doing and the points we need to get fifth, fourth or third in the league.

“There are some teams behind us performing well, like Brighton for example or Chelsea with their capacity to win a lot of matches at the end of the season. We must focus on our own matches and trying to get points.

“The first one is on Sunday against Tottenham, and I am positive and delighted with how we are arriving in the moment we’re in now, playing in the semi-final with a second leg to play and in the position we are in the league.

“It’s really fantastic with the consistency we are achieving, but we still have the last challenges to play.”

Villa focused on Champions League spots

17:06 , Mike Jones

Unai Emery says Aston Villa have shrugged off the defeat to Nottingham Forest in the Europa League and are focusing on finishing as high in the

“Each match is very important,” said Emery. “In the Premier League we’re involved in day 35 – we are completely focusing on it as a priority.

“Yesterday, the priority was Forest in the Europa League. Now it’s a different competition and the priority is the Premier League and being consistent and demanding through it to achieve our huge challenge to be again in the Champions League.”

‘I don’t want crying’: Roberto De Zerbi’s four-minute monologue on Tottenham’s survival fight

17:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle

Roberto De Zerbi has warned Tottenham’s relegation rivals not to count them out and promised there will be no crying at the club over more injury problems this season.

Spurs secured a first Premier League win in 16 matches at Wolves on Saturday, but it was quickly followed by Xavi Simons (knee) being ruled out for the majority of 2026 while Dominic Solanke is also out with a hamstring issue.

Ahead of today’s trip to Aston Villa, De Zerbi started his press conference with a four-minute monologue about silencing negativity and reiterated his belief 18th-placed Tottenham can stay up.

‘I don’t want crying’: Roberto De Zerbi’s four-minute monologue on Tottenham’s fight

De Zerbi hopes Spurs' players can 'silence the voice'

16:54 , Mike Jones

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi wants his players to ‘silence the voice’ inside of them that is saying they will be relegated.

The manager has called on his squad to think positively about their predicament and play to keep the club in the Premier League.

He said: “Listen, I want to be clear one time. The most important challenge now is to silence the voice inside of us, inside of the players, inside of the staff and inside of the fans. This voice can produce negative thoughts.

“The voice says, ‘we are unlucky, we have too many injuries, we lost Xavi Simons and he was the last two games one of the best players and most important players for us, our medical staff is not good enough and the pitch of the stadium is not good, the pitch of the training ground is not good, it is impossible to win two or three games in a row because we have not won too many games in 2026’. I think it is all negative things and it is rubbish.

“We go to play against one of the best teams in this moment in the Premier League. We have a big respect for Emery as a coach, but if Tottenham win in Villa Park, it is not a miracle.”

Emery on facing 'difficult' Spurs

16:47 , Mike Jones

Aston Villa’s head coach, Unai Emery, spoke about Tottenham’s task of avoiding relegation and how Roberto De Zerbi can impact the team.

He said: “Each match in the Premier League is very difficult. They have very good players and they have a very good coach. Maybe they will need time to set the tactical things he did in Brighton, which were really fantastic.

“I think he will do it, but now they are trying to escape the bottom and they need points more than playing in a strong structure or idea he is usually doing.

“They have experienced players, good players, and I expect a very difficult match. I expect in 90 minutes to play competing in our best way, tactically and in our structure through the players individually and collectively.”

Tottenham's early team news

16:40 , Mike Jones

Tottenham remain without Guglielmo Vicario. Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke join a lengthy injury list that includes Cristian Romero and Mohammed Kudus, but Destiny Udogie is fit.

Predicted Tottenham XI: Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Udogie; Palhinha, Bissouma; Muani, Gallagher, Tel; Richarlison

Aston Villa's early team news

16:34 , Mike Jones

Amadou Onana is a doubt after being taken off during the Forest first leg with a calf injury, with Boubacar Kamara still sidelined. Further changes could be likely ahead of the second leg.

Predicted Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Maatsen; Tielemans, Luiz; McGinn, Rogers, Sancho; Watkins

When is Aston Villa v Tottenham?

16:28 , Mike Jones

Kick-off is at 7pm BST at Villa Park. The match will be shown on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

Unai Emery says Aston Villa nearly threw away the win in a “crazy” minute (Nigel French/PA) (PA Wire)

Tottenham given lifeline as West Ham suffer damaging Brentford defeat in relegation battle

16:22 , Harry Latham-Coyle

West Ham’s Premier League survival is no longer in their own hands after Brentford boosted their European bid with a 3-0 win.

The Hammers, who could have moved five points clear of trouble with a victory, will now find themselves back in the bottom three if Tottenham beat Aston Villa on Sunday.

Brentford looked ripe for the taking having not won in six matches, but they have become West Ham’s bogey team since they were promoted and have now won eight of their 10 Premier League meetings.

Tottenham given lifeline as West Ham suffer damaging Brentford defeat

Tottenham's run-in

16:16 , Luke Baker

Position: 18th | Played: 34 | Points: 34 | GD: -10

Remaining fixtures:

2 May - Aston Villa (A)
9 May - Leeds (H)
17 May - Chelsea (A)
24 May - Everton (H)

Where to pick up points? Having not won for 16 league matches, with their last Premier League triumph coming against Crystal Palace back in December, Tottenham have finally found three points at once. Their trip to Wolves was a must-win and they did just that. Now, a potentially pivotal clash with Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium three matches from the end of the campaign will also be a golden opportunity. But every fixture is tough currently.

Tricky contests? Sidestepping the obvious quip of ‘every single one’, given their recent form, away games at Champions League-chasing Aston Villa and Chelsea in May don’t look too fruitful.

Premier League relegation battle: Do Tottenham, West Ham, Nottingham Forest or Leeds have the best run-in?

16:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle

It’s going down to the wire:

Premier League relegation battle: Who has the best run-in?

Tottenham vs Aston Villa

16:00 , Mike Jones

Tottenham visit Aston Villa in desperate need of a result to boost their Premier League survival chances.

Spurs could be lifted by relegation rivals West Ham losing 3-0 to Brentford yesterday, which means three points would move Tottenham out of the relegation zone with three game to play.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side ended their long winless run at Wolves last weekend but suffered a couple of big injury blows with Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke ruled out.

Aston Villa’s focus may be on overturning Thursday’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-finals, given Unai Emery’s side look to have wrapped up a place in next season’s Champions League.

Aston Villa vs Tottenham LIVE

13:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle

A very good afternoon, and welcome to our LIVE coverage of a Premier League clash with significance at both ends of the table. Aston Villa look to take a step towards securing Champions League football next season as they host Tottenham, who would climb out of the relegation zone with victory this evening.

Kick off at Villa Park is at 7pm BST.

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