Aston Villa’s 2-1 Victory Over Injury-Hit Tottenham Puts Them 2 Points Away from Premier League Lead

LONDON: Aston Villa won 2-1 at Tottenham to move two points off the Premier League lead on Sunday.

Ollie Watkins found space at the heart of the Spurs defense to score in the 61st minute, completing the turnaround by Villa at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Villa climbed to fourth place, tied on points with Liverpool in third and two points behind leader Arsenal. Tottenham is two points behind Villa in fifth.

Giovani Lo Celso, playing as a replacement for injured playmaker James Maddison, scored the opening goal for Tottenham in the 22nd minute after Villa failed to clear a right-wing corner.

Watkins had a goal ruled out for offside, Bentancur went off injured, and Villa then equalized in stoppage time when Pau Torres headed in Douglas Luiz’s free kick.

Villa saw more of the ball in the second half and after Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario tipped a shot from substitute Leon Bailey onto the post and away, the visitors took the lead when Watkins exchanged passes with Youri Tielemans and sent a low shot beyond Vicario from a central position.

Tottenham applied late pressure as goalkeeper Emi Martinez produced a double save to deny Brennan Johnson and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg before Son Heung-min had a goal disallowed for offside.

There was a minute’s applause ahead of the game and both sets of players wore black armbands as a tribute to Terry Venables, the former England and Tottenham coach whose death was announced Sunday. He was 80.

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