Photo via BBC Sport

No revival in sight for 'fragile' Spurs after Villa defeat

Tottenham's dismal league form deepened after falling 2-0 to Aston Villa, extending an unwanted run of 36 Premier League fixtures without a victory whenever they concede the opening strike. Despite early dominance where Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki repelled attempts from Savio and Archie Gray, Spurs faltered in first-half stoppage time while Micky van de Ven was sidelined receiving treatment for a facial knock.

Andy Robertson misplayed a corner to John McGinn, allowing Boubacar Kamara to shoot before Manzambi nudged home the opener from point-blank range. Although Mohammed Kudus had an equalizer disallowed around the 60-minute mark due to an offside call on Robertson, Emiliano Buendia sealed Villa's triumph with a stunning 25-yard strike into the upper corner with eleven minutes remaining, preceding late attempts by Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke.

Collecting only two points through five fixtures, Tottenham are enduring their poorest top-tier opening since the 2008-09 campaign under Juande Ramos, as well as their first five-match winless start since 1986. Manager Roberto De Zerbi faced taunts of impending dismissal from the away supporters, later lamenting his team's inability to remain organized with ten men after repositioning Rodrigo Bentancur to central defense alongside midfielder Mateus Fernandes.

Despite the Italian taking personal blame for failing to cope with Villa's heightened reliance on direct long passes, former striker Glenn Murray defended the coach on Final Score, emphasizing that superior possession, shooting tallies, and penalty-box touches warrant patience during the squad's ongoing rebuild.