Unai Emery was determined to lower expectations ahead of Aston Villa's trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Despite entering the contest five points and as many places above their hosts, Emery stated: "They are the favourites [to finish] in front of us for the season and favourites for the match on Sunday." This perspective extended to other clubs as well, with Emery adding, "They are favourites with Chelsea, with Manchester United, with Newcastle," highlighting "a big gap" between his team and the other contenders.
The match saw Villa entering the break with a 1-0 lead thanks to Morgan Rogers' 32nd-minute goal, as Spurs struggled to force Emiliano Martinez into a single save before halftime. However, the second half saw Tottenham respond energetically. Brennan Johnson equalised within five minutes of the restart, followed by a quick brace from Dominic Solanke which put the match beyond Villa's reach. James Maddison sealed a comprehensive 4-1 victory with a stoppage-time free-kick, emphasising Emery’s concerns about the team's potential.
Despite Villa’s early-season promise, which saw them suffer just one defeat from their opening nine league matches, the defensive frailties were exposed. Villa had previously boasted the second-lowest expected goals against (xG against) tally in the division, significantly improving from ranking 13th for the same metric last season. Yet, they could not contain Spurs' attacking threat, as both Johnson and Solanke navigated their way past Villa's defence with skillful runs.
Villa's defensive woes culminated in yet another instance of conceding two goals in quick succession—this representing the third time this season they had experienced such a setback. In contrast, their forward line, led by Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins, had seen a hot start, but opportunities were missed, particularly by Watkins, who squandered two first-half chances to extend the lead.
Ahead of the match, Emery had remarked that his side's "budget is not enough to be favourites." Villa, alongside Spurs, reportedly spend about £100 million per year on player salaries, while clubs like Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool, along with Manchester United and Chelsea, have larger budgets. The division's profit and sustainability restraints meant Villa needed a balanced transfer approach last summer, bringing in Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen while also allowing significant departures including Moussa Diaby and Douglas Luiz.
Tottenham's summer spending left them in a more favourable position, evidenced by their acquisition of Solanke, who demonstrated his prowess on Sunday with two well-taken goals. Emery expressed a vision of competing in the Champions League "hopefully with Aston Villa," a goal that may require further refinement of the squad following the defeat at Spurs.
According to 90min, while Villa had displayed some evolution in their play, the defensive struggles evident against Tottenham highlighted areas that need urgent attention if they hope to keep pace with their rivals.