Aston Villa host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday night in a crucial Premier League clash, with Spurs desperate to escape the relegation zone. The match kicks off at 7pm BST and will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max.
Relegation Battle Intensifies
Tottenham currently occupy the third and final relegation place with only four games remaining. By the time they take the field at Villa Park, they could be as many as five points from safety if results elsewhere go against them. Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley have already been relegated, but the final spot is still up for grabs among six teams. According to bookmakers, Spurs are the most likely to go down, followed by West Ham, Nottingham Forest, and Leeds United. However, neither Newcastle United nor Crystal Palace are mathematically safe yet, although Palace hold a game in hand.
At the other end of the table, Aston Villa sit fifth and are on course to qualify for the Champions League again. They could also secure a place by winning the Europa League. Villa have accumulated 24 more points than Tottenham this season and are level on points with fourth-placed Liverpool, so they will be eager to improve their league finish and see this as an ideal opportunity to claim three points.
Recent Form and Head-to-Head
Spurs finally secured their first win of the calendar year last weekend, scraping a 1-0 victory over bottom side Wolves. However, the result did not improve their position as West Ham scored in added time to beat Everton, maintaining the two-point gap. Tottenham's situation has become dire, with relegation a very real prospect. New manager Roberto De Zerbi has at least overseen a win, ending a 15-game winless run in the Premier League. The former Brighton and Marseille boss has picked up four points from his three games in charge, a significant improvement on predecessor Igor Tudor, who managed just one point from six league matches.
Football betting sites have Spurs as favourites for the drop at odds of 8/11, and with injuries to key attackers Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke, it is hardly surprising. When the sides met earlier this season, Villa came from behind to secure a 2-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with goals from Morgan Rogers and Emi Buendia. They also met in the FA Cup third round in January, with the same scoreline and the same pair on the scoresheet. This time, Villa took a 2-0 lead at the break before Wilson Odobert pulled a goal back for the home side, but it proved only a consolation.
Unai Emery's side have won the last four meetings between the two clubs. However, Spurs did win 4-0 at Villa Park two seasons ago, with James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Son Heung-Min, and Timo Werner all on target, and Villa reduced to 10 men after John McGinn's red card. Despite their precarious position and numerous attacking injuries, Spurs have consistently scored goals, netting more than seven other teams around them. In fact, they have scored only four fewer than Villa; their main problem has been defensive frailty. As such, expect goals at both ends on Sunday night.
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Prediction 1: Over 3.5 Goals - 7/4 with Bet365
Given both teams' attacking tendencies and defensive vulnerabilities, backing over 3.5 goals offers value. Spurs need to win and will push forward, while Villa are strong at home and capable of scoring multiple times.
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Prediction 2: Ollie Watkins to Score - 6/4 with Betway
Striker Ollie Watkins is hitting form at the perfect time to remind England manager Thomas Tuchel of his quality ahead of the World Cup. Left out of the most recent squad, Watkins has scored six goals in his last seven games, helping Villa to four wins. He netted braces against Bologna and Sunderland and also scored against West Ham, taking his season tally to 15 in all competitions. Betting apps offer 9/1 on him scoring two or more, but the safer bet is to back him to score at any time at 6/4.
Team News and Predicted Line-ups
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Bogarde, Tielemans, McGinn, Buendia, Rogers, Watkins.
Tottenham: Kinsky, Spence, Danso, Van de Ven, Porro, Bissouma, Gallagher, Bentancur, Bergvall, Kolo Muani, Richarlison.
Responsible Gambling
If you are having a bet on Villa vs Spurs, it is vital to practice responsible gambling. Betting can be addictive, and it is important to stay in control of your gambling, whether you are using online bookmakers, casino sites, or any other gambling platform. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford, and when the fun stops, stop. Gambling sites offer tools such as deposit limits, profit and loss trackers, and self-exclusion options to help you stay in control. If you ever feel you need help or advice on gambling addiction, contact one of the charities or organisations below:
- NHS Help
- GambleAware
- Gamblers Anonymous
We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. We aim to offer every online gambler a safe and fair platform through unbiased reviews and offers from the UK's best online gambling companies. Gambling can be addictive; always play responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. Any offers or odds listed in this article are correct at the time of publication but are subject to change. Terms and conditions apply to all offers.
