Aston Villa 0-4 Tottenham - Spurs claim resounding win to boost Premier League top-four push

Tottenham closed the gap in the race for fourth place and guaranteed UEFA Champions League football next season with an emphatic 4-0 win over Aston Villa.

A quick double hit of goals just after half-time from James Maddison and Brennan Johnson put the visitors in control. Villa looked tired and could not get into the game at all, a task made even harder after their captain John McGinn was sent off midway through the second half.

Injury-time goals from Son Heung-min and Timo Werner completed the rout as Villa fell apart after the sending off.

The second half was in sharp contrast to the first. A tense and edgy first 45 minutes was a virtual non-event, with the only real chance being a Lucas Digne header that drifted wide of the far post for Villa.

Tottenham stay in fifth but are now just two points behind Villa with a game in hand.

In the first half of the season Spurs were flying, with the catalysing impact of Ange Postecoglou so great that there were even fanciful whispers that they could challenge for the title.

Expectations have recalibrated somewhat now, but to earn Champions League football next season would still be an outstanding achievement given that they sold their talisman and captain Harry Kane on the eve of the Premier League season.

It’s now in their hands, as with a game in hand on Villa they can now go above them. Fifth may be enough if English teams do well enough in European competitions, and Manchester United look unlikely to hook them in for that spot. Postecoglou will want to take any jeopardy out of the equation though, and fourth place is a real possibility. They have a challenging run-in, but with no other distractions Spurs have an open look at ending Postecoglou’s first season in charge with a notable achievement.

It says a lot about the quality of Tottenham’s captain that he can have a virtually invisible first half and still put in a match-winning turn. He teed up two of the goals and thumped in one of his own as Tottenham eviscerated Villa in the second half.

Aston Villa: Martinez 6; Konsa 6, Lenglet 5, Torres 6; Cash 6, McGinn 4, Douglas Luiz 6, Digne 6; Bailey 5, Watkins 6, Tielemans 5

SUBS: Diego Carlos 6, Diaby 7, Zaniolo 5, Iroegbunam 6, Moreno 6

Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario 6; Porro 7, Romero 7, Van De Ven 6, Udogie 6; Bissouma 6, Sarr 7, Maddison 7; Kulusevski 7, Son 8, Johnson 7

SUBS: Dragusin 6, Hojbjerg 6, Bentancur 6, Werner 7

Referee: Chris Kavanagh

45' CLOSE! Villa work a short-corner routine for McGinn to whip a delicious ball in from the left. Digne arrives at speed, glancing the ball off his head and shoulder, which sends it looping over everyone and just wide of the far post.

GOAL! ASTON VILLA 0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 (MADDISON 50) From nothing, Spurs lead! They break the high Villa line as Kulusevski releases Sarr in acres down the right. Sarr crosses into the six-yard box and the ball is just perfect; Maddison connects with the side of his foot to volley Spurs ahead. That's a huge goal.

GOAL! ASTON VILLA 0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 (JOHNSON 53) It's two, and is that the game? Kulusevksi steals the ball in the final third and finds Son. With a three on one Son can go either side as he approaches the area; he goes left to Johnson, who shoots high into the roof of the net to double the advantage.

65' RED CARD! McGinn hacks straight through Udogie on the left touchline, instigating a lot of pushing and shoving between players and coaching staff. It's a straight red for the Villa captain, and it's hard to argue; Udogie was getting away and McGinn's wild challenge was no attempt to play the ball.

90+1' GOAL! ASTON VILLA 0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3 (SON 90+1') Villa crack at last. Kulusevski gets into space down the right of the area, unmarked. He pulls it back to the penalty spot where Son whomps the bouncing ball emphatically past Martinez.

90+4' GOAL! ASTON VILLA 0 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 4 (WERNER 90+4') It does indeed get worse for Villa. Spurs are walking through their defence now, as Son moves unopposed into the area on the left. He cuts it back to Werner, who sidefoots a lovely effort just inside the far post to make it four.

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