A defining test for the Lilly Whites to prove their contention of the PL.
Spurs are enjoying a quite good season so far. This has been a remarkably optimistic start for Thomas Frank’s men, but they must continue to prove themselves to establish that they are genuine title challengers. A tough game for Thomas Frank, as his record against Emery has been substandard.
For Villa, after some good seasons under Emery, where they finished in the top seven in 3 years straight, this season looks like a bump in their ride. A tough run of games is approaching them, with the Spurs, Liverpool, and all waiting for them.
Match Details
- Date: Sunday, October 19
- Time: 6:30 pm IST, 2:00 pm UK
- Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
- TV: Jio Hotstar Network
- Table: Spurs (t-3rd, 14 pts), Villa (t-11th, 9 pts)
| Key Stats | Spurs | Villa |
| Head-to-head ( last 5 games) | 2 Wins | 3 Wins |
| Draws | 0 | 0 |
| Last 5 Matches | W, D, D, W, L | W, W, D, D, L |
| Xg created | 7.5 | 6.1 |
| Top Scorer(5) | Richarlison 3 | Malen 2 |
Key Players to Watch out For:
- Kudus- He has been Spurs’ signing of the season so far. The Ghanaian international has scored 1 goal & assisted 4 times this season & Spurs will look towards him for answers.
- Xavi Simons- he has had a slow start to the PL season, but Xavi Simons’ potential can’t be denied. Spurs fans will be hoping this is the game where everything starts clicking for Simons.
- Rogers- Villa’s star boy, he has to be at his level best against Spurs if Villa are looking to win this fixture. Had a slow start this season, but he can’t be ruled out as a key player.
- Malen – Scored twice against Burnley, which proved to be vital for Villa; he has looked more mature from his previous stints with Watkins in poor form. Malen is reliable for scoring the chances Rogers & Mccgin make.
Tactical Battle:
Despite Spurs’ strong start this season, most of their success has come away from home as they have won just four points from three games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Villa, on the other hand, have won four of their last 6 fixture against Spurs.
Frank has never beaten Emery’s Villa side in the Premier League in 5 attempts (D2 L3, all with Brentford). It is the most he has faced an opposing manager in the competition without ever winning. But Frank and Spurs should not be overly concerned about the challenge ahead, especially with the clinical nature of his attack. Tottenham have scored 13 goals from an expected goals (xG) tally of 7.5 in the Premier League this season, the biggest overperformance of any side (+5.5).
Villa’s defence needs to be sharp to solve this Spurs task, with both Torres & Mings in questionable form, it would be quite tough for Villa to keep a clean sheet. Hence, Emery would be focusing on initiating a strong counterattack via Rogers, Malen, and Watkins to hurt Spurs.
The midfield tussle between Kamara, Onana & McGinn versus Bentacur, Palhinha & Sarr would set the tone for the game. Expect a tough game & chances of a Draw are slightly more than either team winning.
Predicted Lineups:
Spurs:
- Lineup: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie, Bentacur, Palhinha, Kudus, Sarr, Simons, Tel
- Injuries: Kulusevski, Dragusin, Maddison, Bissouma, Solanke
Villa:
- Lineup: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, McGinn, Onana, Kamara, Rogers, Malen, Watkins
- Injuries: Sancho, Tielemans, Buendia
