Tottenham's difficult start to the season went from bad to worse on Saturday as Aston Villa came from behind to win 3-2 in north London, leaving Spurs winless in the league and sitting in the relegation zone heading into the international break.
Villa struck first in first-half stoppage time when Johan Manzambi, making his full debut, tapped in from close range after a mix-up involving Andy Robertson allowed John McGinn to set up Boubacar Kamara. It was the perfect start for the youngster and the platform Villa needed.
Spurs pushed for an equalizer but had a Mohammed Kudus goal chalked off for offside just after the hour mark. Instead, Villa doubled their advantage soon after, with Manzambi turning provider this time, teeing up Nicolas Jackson for a superbly taken half-volley past goalkeeper Antonín Kinsky.
Emi Buendía then put the result beyond doubt with 11 minutes remaining, curling a stunning effort into the top corner from 25 yards to make it 3-0 and hand Villa their first Premier League win of the campaign.
Substitute Conor Gallagher gave Tottenham a lifeline with a scrambled finish in the 86th minute, and Jan Paul van Hecke added a second in stoppage time after a well-worked Robertson cross, but the late rally proved to be nothing more than a consolation.
The defeat extends Tottenham's poor home form — they have now lost 22 league games at their stadium since the start of the 2024-25 season — and leaves manager Roberto De Zerbi under increasing scrutiny after five games without a Premier League win this season. Speaking after the match, De Zerbi admitted he was "very disappointed, very sad, very frustrated" with his side's performance, singling out fitness levels among some of his squad.
For Aston Villa, the win — their third in four games across all competitions — offers real momentum heading into the break, built on a string of fine saves from goalkeeper Emiliano/Zion Suzuki that kept Spurs at bay for long periods.
Both sides return to action on October 10: Tottenham travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, while Villa host Brentford before a Champions League clash with Fenerbahçe four days later.
