Key Facts
- Aston Villa is tied on points with Liverpool in the race for Champions League spots; a win against relegation-threatened Tottenham would have a direct impact on the standings.
- Villa has won the last four matches against Tottenham; there have been no draws in five meetings, suggesting offensive-minded games from both teams.
- Tottenham travels with significant personnel issues: Goalkeeper Vicario, defensive leader Romero, and forward Solanke are out, weakening the team’s core.
- Villa also has midfield absences: Onana and Kamara are out, forcing Emery to pair Barkley with Tielemans—an unfamiliar lineup at an inopportune time.
- Historical trends: In four of the last five head-to-head matches, more than 2.5 goals were scored; Villa scored in all five games, and Tottenham conceded at least one goal in four of their last five league matches.
- Tottenham’s long slump recently ended with a 1-0 win at Wolves, slightly improving their form, but their defense still looks vulnerable.” “Villa’s Europa League commitments and two narrow league defeats in a row make this match tighter than the standings suggest; fitness and rotation could be decisive.
No sooner has Unai Emery digested the 1-0 result from the Europa League semifinal first leg against Nottingham Forest than the next challenge awaits in the Premier League. Aston Villa is level on points with Liverpool in the race for Champions League spots and hosts a Tottenham side under Roberto De Zerbi that arrives under relegation pressure and with a squad once again plagued by injuries. Recent form clearly favors the hosts, who have won their last four matches against the Spurs, including a 2-1 victory in the FA Cup in January. At the same time, Aston Villa has narrowly lost its last two league games in a row, while Tottenham has finally ended its long winless streak in the league, making the match appear closer than the standings might suggest at first glance.
- Venue: Villa Park, Birmingham
- Date and Time: May 3, 2026, 8:00 PM
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 35)
The betting market sees Aston Villa as only a slight favorite, which is understandable given the current situation. The home win is supported by the fact that Tottenham will be without Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, and Dominic Solanke. At the same time, “Both Teams to Score: Yes” has its appeal, as Aston Villa is currently conceding goals too often and Spurs cannot afford to play too cautiously. Interestingly, Tottenham also has some value with “Draw Protection,” especially since Pape Matar Sarr has returned to training and Emery’s Europa League schedule is likely to leave the players fatigued.
Aston Villa Form & Record Check
Emery won’t have been pleased with the last two results: first the 1-0 league loss at Fulham, then the 1-0 defeat in the Europa League semifinal first leg against Nottingham Forest. The team is far from panicking, but a certain loss of rhythm cannot be overlooked. Aston Villa has relied on intense pressing football this season, the spaces on the field have become tighter, and Amadou Onana’s calf injury is costing Emery another option in midfield at an inopportune moment. The picture regarding home form, however, is much more encouraging. Aston Villa beat Sunderland 4-3 and Bologna 4-0 at Villa Park and drew 1-1 with Forest in the league, which shows just how lively their home games have been recently. With Boubacar Kamara still out, Emery is likely to rely even more heavily on controlling Youri Tielemans and John McGinn to set up Ollie Watkins in the best possible way.
Aston Villa is likely to stick with Unai Emery’s usual 4-2-3-1 formation, though this is a prediction and not a confirmed starting lineup. In the back four in front of Emiliano Martínez – 23, Matty Cash – 2, Ezri Konsa – 4, Pau Torres – 14, and Lucas Digne – 12 are expected to start again, giving the team its familiar balance between building play through the middle and width via the fullbacks. The real question lies in midfield. With Amadou Onana sidelined due to a calf injury and Boubacar Kamara still out, Ross Barkley – 6 is the most likely partner for Youri Tielemans – 8. Behind them, John McGinn – 7, Morgan Rogers – 27, and Emiliano Buendía – 10 are expected to line up behind Ollie Watkins – 11, though this is ultimately just an educated guess.
Tottenham Form & Record Check
Tottenham’s 1-0 win at Wolves carried far more weight than the mere result, as it ended their long Premier League drought and provided De Zerbi with proof that a simple plan can still yield points. João Palhinha’s late goal, assisted by Richarlison, was valuable, but the bigger news was the injuries elsewhere, as Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons were ruled out afterward. This result, however, does not erase the underlying pattern. Tottenham has picked up four points from its last three league games, following the 2-2 draw against Brighton and the loss at Sunderland, and has conceded goals in four of its last five matches. At least Pape Matar Sarr has returned to team training, and De Zerbi is likely confident that his side can compete, provided Richarlison, Mathys Tel, or Randal Kolo Muani capitalize on their chances.
Tottenham will likely line up in a 4-2-3-1 again, though this remains a prediction and not a confirmed lineup. Rodrigo Bentancur (30) and Yves Bissouma (8) would lend some stability to the midfield and clear the way forward for Pedro Porro (23). Conor Gallagher (22) could play in the number 10 role, with Mathys Tel (11) and Randal Kolo Muani (39) flanking Richarlison (9). It is the absences that really shape the picture. With Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies, Destiny Udogie, Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert, and Mohammed Kudus unavailable, Antonín Kinský (31) is likely to continue in goal, Kevin Danso (4) could defend alongside Micky van de Ven (37), and Djed Spence (24) is the obvious choice on the left side. Pape Matar Sarr has returned to training, so there could still be some changes in midfield.
Aston Villa – Tottenham Head-to-Head & Stats
The recent head-to-head record is hard to ignore. Aston Villa has won four straight matches against Tottenham, and there hasn’t been a single draw in their last five meetings. Most recently, the Villans won 2-1 in the FA Cup in January 2026, after also winning 2-1 in the league in October 2025. Villa has clearly found the right formula in this matchup. Interestingly, there is also a clear pattern in these results. Aston Villa has scored in all five encounters, Tottenham has conceded at least one goal in every match, and each game has featured at least two goals. Four of these games ended with more than 2.5 goals, and in four of the five matches, Villa scored a goal in the first half, suggesting that the team tends to take the initiative early in this matchup.
