Aston Villa beat Tottenham 3-2 in Premier League as De Zerbi’s side are booed off
Aston Villa defeated Tottenham 3-2 in a Premier League match on Saturday, with Villa taking a first-half added-time lead and Spurs replying with two late goals but still being booed off at full-time. Nicolas Jackson, Emi Buendía and Johan Manzambi scored for Villa while Conor Gallagher and Jean Paul van Hecke grabbed late consolations for Tottenham.
Villa capitalised late in the first half while Spurs were temporarily reduced to 10 men, and used resolute defending and decisive counter-attacks to maintain control for long periods. Zion Suzuki produced a string of early saves and was the standout performer in the opening half-hour, including a double stop from Sávio in the 11th minute and a spectacular heel save to deny Archie Gray. The match featured moments of controversy and defensive disruption, with Micky van de Ven receiving treatment on the touchline in added time before Villa’s opener.
The goal that put Villa ahead arrived in first-half added time after a sequence that began with a delicate Buendía pass over the defensive line and a misdirected slide from Andy Robertson to John McGinn. McGinn crossed back into the box, Boubacar Kamara saw his shot diverted, and Johan Manzambi reacted to scoop the ball in from about six yards.
Roberto De Zerbi made a half-time change, bringing on Mohammed Kudus for Mateus Fernandes, and Kudus thought he had levelled within 15 minutes of entering when he poked home from six yards after an Andy Robertson cross. That finished effort was ruled out by VAR for an offside against Robertson.
Villa extended their lead through Nicolas Jackson after a long clearance from Suzuki. Jackson laid the ball off to Manzambi, received it back, controlled it on his chest, lifted it over Van de Ven and finished right-footed into the bottom-right corner with Antonin Kinsky getting a touch. Jackson celebrated by adopting a Roman emperor pose and turning his thumb down into the camera.
With around 10 minutes remaining Emi Buendía struck from distance with minimal backlift; the ball sailed around his marker, out beyond the goal and back in to hit the top-right corner. Tottenham’s late response then arrived: Conor Gallagher, introduced with six minutes of normal time remaining, scored within three minutes of his arrival, and Jean Paul van Hecke reduced the deficit with the final touch of the match, but the crowd booed at full-time.
Tottenham’s statistics from the game continued a troubling pattern: they have failed to win any of their previous 48 matches in all competitions in which they conceded the opening goal (D11 L36), with 37 of those coming in the Premier League (D8 L29). This result leaves Spurs with their worst start to a Premier League season after five games — two points and a goal difference of -6 — eclipsing their 2008-09 opening sequence of two points and a -3 goal difference; Conor Gallagher’s goal ended a 492 Premier League minute run without scoring for Tottenham, and their first league goal of 2026-27 arrived after their 67th shot.
