Tottenham vs Aston Villa Preview

On May 13th, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa will face off for the first time since January. Both teams are currently sitting high in the rankings. Tottenham are currently 5th in the EPL table and Aston Villa are 6th.

The last time Spurs and Aston Villa met, Aston Villa won 2-0. Nearly six months have passed since then, so both teams have had plenty of time to develop and to work through any issues. Whether or not both teams have made good use of this time is, however, up for debate.

This upcoming match still has the potential to be a good one to watch. Differences in talent and quality of leadership put these two teams closer together than some might expect. We can expect the odds to be fairly low for this match.

It’s no secret that betting on football has become a super popular part of enjoying the sport. Betting on big matches can really add to the excitement, especially between teams that are well-matched. 

Things might be in a state of flux for Spurs right now, so it’s hard to predict how they might develop in the next few weeks. We’re still going to give it our best shot by looking at the last time these teams met and how their seasons have progressed since then.

Last Meeting on 1/1/23

Spurs lost at home to Aston Villa 0-2. A major factor in this defeat was that Spurs only had two shots on target the entirety of the match. Aston Villa didn’t score until the second half but once they did, they grew in confidence.

The first half was largely made up of the two teams feeling each other out defensively. Once Aston Villa’s Emiliano Buendia scored in the 50th minute, things began to open up. Though Spurs dominated possession, they simply couldn’t capitalise on it.

Antonio Conte had started his tenure with Spurs on a high but by the start of 2023, the cracks were showing. While he would stay on for another two months after this match, it was already apparent that communication between Conte and the players had broken down.

Aston Villa’s manager Unai Emery, on the other hand, had only joined the team in November 2022. Emery and Aston Villa have been a sensation this season, returning the team to a form they haven’t had in decades.

Tottenham’s Season So Far

The fact that Spurs are still in the top 10 is a sign of the team’s talent in spite of, not thanks to, their current leadership. Even loyal fans are struggling to see beyond the club’s “eye-catching displays of rank incompetence, hubris, and unparalleled stupidity”.

Spurs’ loss to Newcastle on April 23rd was a devastating blow that showed just how much the team is struggling from their lack of consistent, capable leadership. Their draw against Everton on April 3rd was similarly embarrassing.

The outburst that saw Conte removed as manager highlighted that Spurs players were playing selfishly and not working as a team. This seems to be very true. There is so much top-tier talent on the Spurs bench but there’s no way for them to win if they only play as individuals.

Harry Kane has largely been carrying the team, as can be expected from the star player. Ivan Perisic, on the other hand, has been struggling to regain the form he showed at the beginning of the season.

The pain of the last few weeks might be what it takes to get the Spurs players out of their own heads and urge them to re-evaluate how they play together. The next few games will give us some insight into whether or not this is happening. 

Aston Villa’s Season So Far

Aston Villa had been languishing at the bottom of the table and desperately clawing themselves out of relegation for several seasons. With Emery at the helm, the team has had a bit of a renaissance. They beat Manchester United at home for the first time since 1995.

One of the key factors in this resurgence is striker Ollie Watkins. His ability to score consistently has helped carry the team through the season. He has broken the club record for the number of consecutive games scored in.

Watkins’ scoring is balanced out by Emiliano Martínez’s talent in goal. In the past season, he has broken the Aston Villa record for clean sheets in his first 100 EPL games, with 34 clean sheets. A capable goalkeeper is such an essential asset for a team at any level.

It’s always hard to judge how long the momentum that a talented new manager brings will last. With their draw against Brentford breaking a run of wins, it could be possible that we’re seeing that momentum begin to fade. The match against Spurs will be a good test of this.

Final Thoughts

While we always live in hope that Tottenham Hotspur will live up to their full potential and finish the season on a high note, it’s hard to have full confidence in that possibility. Aston Villa will pose a tough challenge to Spurs and could easily win on May 13th.