Tottenham Hotspur head to the heart of Birmingham to face Aston Villa in the Premier League match day 37 on Friday. This rescheduled fixture at Villa Park pits two sides vying to play UCL next season but via completely different paths.
With 2 games remaining now, Villa need only wins along with a heavy dose of luck. Currently they are holding onto the last European spot in the table on 6th with 63 points. They are surrounded by Newcastle, Man City and Chelsea above and Nottingham Forest just a point below in 7th.
Spurs have their own ambitions but they do not lie in the Prem but instead the 24/25 Europa League, where they face Manchester United in the final on 21st May in Bilbao, Spain.
With injuries mounting and players likely to be rested, a young Tottenham side will need to be defensively stout to stop this Villa onslaught. What works for them is the head-to-head data, with Spurs winning 25 out of the 48 meetings against Villa, who have only won 12.
But Villa fans can take strength from their recent results in games between the two sides since the 22/23 season. The Claret and Blues have won 4 out of the last 6 games against Spurs.
Form Guide and Team Performance
Unai Emery has changed the way people perceive Aston Villa these days. They display great principles in both attack and defence. This club from West Midlands has won 5 times in their last 7 games, with their last 2 being home & away 1-0 wins.
Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham can either attack or defend, not both. The team often feels over-coached up front and under-coached at the back. This reflects in the league position they have managed so far – sitting in 17th with 38 points.
Their last 10 games in the league has seen them lose 7 times. Now, with James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall injured coupled with their total focus on the Europa League final, Spurs are expected to field a highly makeshift XI.
Key Players to Watch
For Aston Villa, several players could make the difference. Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers have been standout up front with 16 and 8 goals in the Premier League.
Marco Asensio, the summer signing from PSG, has the ability to cut inside from the right while midfielder Amadou Onana is a defensive rock and interception machine.
Dejan Kuluseveski, who received a knee issue in the last game against Crystal Palace, could still start for Spurs. His creativity and drive make him unplayable at times.
Mathys Tel, on loan from Bayern Munich, provides pace while Richarlison, back from a calf injury, brings physicality and goal-scoring nous. Pape Matar Sarr adds energy in midfield. His late runs and relentless pressing could challenge Villa’s midfield.
Betting Tips and Predictions
A popular betting option is both teams to score with Aston Villa scoring 1 goal or more in their last 14 home games and Tottenham despite their poor form, remain dangerous going forward.
Another tempting bet is Aston Villa to win, reflecting their dominance at Villa Park and Tottenham’s poor record of 11 losses in 17 away games.
For those seeking value, over 2.5 goals makes sense with 5 of the last head-to-heads producing 3 or more goals. A player-specific bet to consider is Morgan Rogers to score or assist.
A 2-1 victory for Aston Villa feels like a realistic outcome seeing as they have only lost only once in 18 home games this season.
