Preview: Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa

Aiming for a fifth successive win in all tournaments and a third straight victory over Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa travel to the Lilywhites' North London home for Sunday's Premier League clash.

The Lions edged out Burnley 2-1 prior to the international break, while Spurs coincidentally bested another newly-promoted team by the same scoreline, getting the better of Leeds United.

Match preview

Sitting pretty on the podium after seven matches of the 2025-26 Premier League season, Tottenham have taken kindly to Thomas Frank's methods and are revelling in a seven-game unbeaten run across all competitions heading into the visit of Villa.

The Europa League holders did not have it all their own way at Leeds' Elland Road home, but thanks to a Mohammed Kudus masterclass - where the Ghana international set up Mathys Tel before bagging one of his own - Spurs departed with a 2-1 win under their belts.

As things stand, the hosts could end the gameweek at the top of the Premier League table given that just two points separate them from Arsenal, while Liverpool sit one better off, although the Gunners can move out of sight by taking down Fulham on Saturday evening.

Frank in particular should not concern themselves with matters across the capital, though, as he has many wrongs to right on Sunday - the Dane has faced opposite number Unai Emery five times in the Premier League and is yet to beat the former Arsenal coach.

Furthermore, home failures against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley mean that Spurs have only won a measly three of their last 17 top-flight games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, although their 13 top-flight goals from just 7.5 Expected Goals represents the best over-performance of any side in the Premier League.

Also eking out a slender win over a 2024-25 Championship team in gameweek seven, Aston Villa had a flying Dutchman to thank for their narrow beating of fellow claret-clad outfit Burnley, who fell victim to the Donyell Malen show in the West Midlands.

The former Arsenal prospect netted twice before a Lesley Ugochukwu consolation as Emery's men made it four wins on the spin in all competitions, having also come up trumps against Bologna, Fulham and Feyenoord since September 25.

The visitors' attacking deficiencies from the beginning of the season now seem a distant memory, but their woeful start to proceedings means that they remain in the bottom half of the standings, five points either side of the relegation zone and top four.

However, the travelling faithful have another unique reason to be optimistic ahead of Sunday's game, as the Villans are remarkably unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League games coming straight after an international break, winning eight of them.

That sequence includes a 2-1 triumph on Tottenham's turf in 2023, and Emery also oversaw a 2-1 FA Cup win and 2-0 Premier League success earlier in 2025, but this exact fixture last season ended 4-1 in favour of the hosts.

Tottenham Hotspur Premier League form:

Tottenham Hotspur form (all competitions):

Aston Villa Premier League form:

Aston Villa form (all competitions):

Team News

Having completed 45 minutes of a recent friendly against Watford, on-loan Tottenham striker Randal Kolo Muani should be given the green light to return from a thigh injury this weekend, while Kota Takai is closing in on a comeback from a foot problem too.

However, with two boosts come two blows, as Yves Bissouma - who had only just made his return from a previous issue - was stretchered off during Mali's World Cup Qualifying win over Madagascar, while Ben Davies sustained a suspected muscular injury while representing Wales.

The pair join long-term absentees Dominic Solanke (ankle), James Maddison (ACL), Dejan Kulusevski (knee) and Radu Dragusin (ACL) on the hosts' sidelines, but the latter should soon enter the final stages of his lengthy recovery.

On Villa's end, Emery was handed a scare over the international break when Ollie Watkins withdrew from the England squad with a knee issue, but there is hope that his problem was only a contact injury from a collision with the post.

Tyrone Mings (ankle) and Emiliano Buendia (head) may also be passed fit for the trip south - the same goes for Andres Garcia (unspecified) - but Youri Tielemans's calf problem will not heal for another few weeks.

Assuming Watkins is indeed passed fit, the former Brentford man will be fed by compatriot Morgan Rogers, who is aiming to set up a goal in three successive Premier League games for the first time.

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Palhinha, Bentancur; Kudus, Simons, Tel; Richarlison

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Onana; Malen, McGinn, Rogers; Watkins

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Aston Villa

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The last time Tottenham and Aston Villa played out a draw in the Premier League, Alex McLeish and Harry Redknapp were in the dugouts in May 2012 - there has since been a winner and a loser in the last 20 top-flight games between the sides.

However, with the Lions on an upward trajectory and Spurs going steady under Frank, we simply cannot pick a clear winner and are backing a first stalemate in over 13 years between the two clubs.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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