Report and free match highlights as Aston Villa beat fellow European-chasing rivals Spurs 2-1 at Villa Park; Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz goals lift Villa up to seventh, level on points with sixth-placed Tottenham; Harry Kane scored late penalty to set up a nervy finish at Villa Park
Sunday 14 May 2023 13:26, UK
Aston Villa boosted their chances of European football with a 2-1 home win over sixth-placed Tottenham to move level on points with them.
Jacob Ramsey's eighth-minute finish and Douglas Luiz's second-half free-kick (72) lifted Unai Emery's side up to seventh, which is set to be a Europa Conference League place.
Tottenham endured a miserable first half at Villa Park as they failed to have a shot, had only one touch in the opposition box and registered an expected goals of zero.
Ryan Mason's side did, however, come close to equalising in the second half before Luiz's set-piece strike as Emiliano Martinez denied Harry Kane, while substitute Dejan Kulusevski curled an effort just wide of the post.
But Kane scored a 90th-minute penalty to set up a nervy finish at Villa Park with Heung-Min Son having a last-minute goal ruled out for offside.
Villa eventually managed to hold on to dent Spurs' hopes of playing European football next season as they remain sixth and are only ahead of Villa on goal difference, with both sides having two games left, while eighth-placed Brighton have three games in hand on the pair.
Tottenham have had a habit of conceding early goals in recent games and that continued at Villa Park as Ramsey swept home first time from Leon Bailey's cross to give the home side an eighth-minute lead.
The visitors failed to react as they produced a woeful first-half performance that was met by boos at half-time by the away fans, who had not seen their side have an attempt at goal in the opening 45 minutes.
Villa, meanwhile, should have been further ahead going into the break. Fraser Forster denied Bailey in the 32nd minute with a fine one-handed save after the winger hit a low first-time shot from Ollie Watkins' cross.
Two minutes before half-time, Emiliano Buendia hit the woodwork after curling an effort from Ramsey's pass.
Normal service resumed early in the second half as Forster saved from Buendia, but the visitors were nearly gifted an equaliser moments later.
Luiz was robbed near his own box as the ball rolled into Kane's path only for the striker to fire straight at Martinez from just inside the area.
Kane's chance sparked Spurs into life as Kulusevski curled just inches wide of the far post in the 65th minute.
But seven minutes later Villa made it 2-0 as Luiz curled in a free-kick from 25 yards out beyond Forster, who would have been disappointed with his one-handed effort.
Spurs were then given the chance of an unlikely comeback when the visitors were awarded a late penalty after Martinez brought down Kane following a lengthy VAR check.
The Tottenham captain hammered in for his 27th Premier League goal of the season but it was too late despite Son having a 95th-minute goal disallowed for offside.
Acting Tottenham head coach Ryan Mason denied managerless Tottenham are drifting as they now face a real fight for European football.
He said in his post-match press conference: "The outside world is the outside world. When you are consistent and
strong inside that transfers outside. It is a difficult moment but everyone is pulling together.
"The environment you try to set within is the most important thing.
"To go a goal down so early again, it's happened too many times this season. We need to be better. It's a very disappointing day.
"I felt we were more of a threat in the second half and their 'keeper has pulled off an outstanding save at 1-0 which could have changed the flow of the game.
"We understand we have two important games and it's still in our hands, what we want to achieve, we need to learn and try to be better.
"We've come here against a good side and you have to understand you have to suffer as a team and then the game changes, like we saw in the second half, but you can't get to that point being a goal down."
Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery admitted he did not think qualifying for European football was achievable when he replaced Steven Gerrard in October.
He said in his post-match press conference: "No, it was a process but I told the players if we can have chances to go there we are going to try to get it. If we didn't get it, it's not a fail. It's a process.
"We played with a high level in the first half and kept our identity. We deserved more in the first half, maybe. Keeping focus in 90 minutes is not easy and we were playing a very good team.
"In the second half they played better but at the end we deserved to win. We want to connect with our supporters, get the energy and give them our energy and this is the sixth win in a row here.
"I was very, very happy in the first half. We need to be consistent but today we played very well and the players are showing their commitment."
Up next for Aston Villa is a crucial game in their quest for Europe as they face fellow contenders Liverpool at Anfield next Saturday, kick-off 3pm. Unai Emery's side then host Brighton on the final day of the season.
Tottenham will also get a better understanding of which European competition they will be in after their next game against Brentford next Saturday, kick-off 12.30pm. Spurs then visit Leeds on the final day of the season on May 28.
