Tottenham Hotspur finally ended their Premier League scoring drought but were left empty-handed again as Aston Villa held on for a thrilling 3-2 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.
The defeat leaves Roberto De Zerbi’s side without a league win after five matches, with two draws and three defeats leaving Spurs on two points and 18th in the table as the international break begins.
Villa, meanwhile, climbed to 15th with four points after securing their first Premier League victory of the 2026/27 campaign under Unai Emery.
Tottenham entered the match without a goal in their opening four league fixtures, but their long wait for a league strike finally ended after Villa had established a commanding three-goal lead.
Johan Manzambi put Villa ahead in first-half stoppage time before Nicolas Jackson doubled the visitors’ advantage in the 67th minute.
Emiliano Buendia appeared to have settled the contest when he made it 3-0 in the 79th minute, but Tottenham responded with a late surge.
Conor Gallagher pulled one back in the 86th minute before Jan Paul van Hecke headed home in the eighth minute of stoppage time to reduce the deficit to 3-2.
Spurs pushed desperately for an equaliser in the closing moments, but Villa held firm to secure their first league victory of the season.
The result extends a difficult start for De Zerbi, who arrived at Tottenham tasked with rebuilding a side that narrowly avoided relegation last season.
Spurs began the campaign with defeats to Brentford and Newcastle before consecutive goalless draws against Nottingham Forest and Everton. They also suffered a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool in the League Cup in midweek.
The latest loss means De Zerbi heads into the international break still searching for his first Premier League victory, with Tottenham sitting 18th on two points, PUNCH Online reports.
For Emery, the victory provides a much-needed boost after Villa’s difficult opening to the campaign.
Villa had collected just one point from their first four league matches, losing to Brighton, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest while drawing with Hull City.
Saturday’s victory moved them up to 15th with four points from five matches — one win, one draw and three defeats.
Despite Tottenham’s late fightback, Villa’s counter-attacking approach proved decisive. Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki made five saves as the visitors withstood sustained pressure from Spurs, who dominated possession and won 11 corners compared with Villa’s one.
Tottenham finished with 64 per cent possession but were unable to turn their territorial dominance into an equaliser, with Villa holding on for a valuable three points.
The 16-day international break now gives both managers an opportunity to regroup, with Tottenham facing an early battle to move away from the relegation zone while Villa will look to build momentum from their first league victory of the season.
