Tottenham Hotspur climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone after a well-deserved 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park in Matchday 35.
West Ham United’s defeat to Brentford on Saturday had opened the door for Spurs to overtake their rivals in the standings, and the London club capitalized on this opportunity with what was arguably their best performance of the season.
Tottenham were unfazed by the absences of key strikers Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke, who were sidelined with injuries during last week’s win over Wolverhampton Wanderers (their first league victory since December 28).
Roberto De Zerbi’s men finished the first half with a comfortable and deserved 2-0 lead against the fifth-placed Villa side.
For his part, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery made seven changes to the lineup that lost to Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final, clearly focusing on the return leg next Thursday at Villa Park. This was evident in the team’s lackluster performance.
With this result, Tottenham reach 37 points in 17th place, while West Ham drop to 18th with 36 points. Nottingham Forest remain in contention with 39 points and a game in hand.
