Tottenham Hotspur's late fightback meant nothing as Aston Villa secured a 3-2 victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday lunchtime; the defeat now extends Spurs' winless start to the Premier League season.
Roberto De Zerbi's side produced encouraging football early in the game and, as in the Everton fixture, were the much better side for the opening 30 minutes,,when they could have scored. Spurs played with greater intensity, moved the ball quickly and created several opportunities, but Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki repeatedly denied the hosts.
That failure to convert their chances once again proved costly, with Villa surviving Tottenham's early pressure before taking the lead during first-half stoppage time through Johan Manzambi. The summer signing marked his debut by finishing a Villa attack while Micky van de Ven was being treated for a facial injury.
Tottenham briefly appeared to level the score after the restart when Mohammed Kudus converted Andy Robertson's cross. However, celebrations were cut short when a VAR review showed the Scotland National team captain was offside.
After going ahead, Villa dealt with Spurs attack with robust defending and Nicolas Jackson doubled the visitors' advantage in the 67th minute, holding off Jan Paul van Hecke before producing a composed finish beyond Kinsky.
Any realistic hope of a Tottenham recovery appeared to disappear when Emiliano Buendía made it 3-0 with 11 minutes of normal time remaining. The Villa midfielder was afforded too much space outside the penalty area and punished Spurs with an outstanding long-range strike.
Conor Gallagher, a late second-half substitute, finally ended the club's Premier League scoring drought in the 86th minute, turning home after Villa failed to clear their lines properly. Van Hecke then headed in Tottenham's second to reduce the deficit further and set up a frantic conclusion.
Spurs pushed for an unlikely equaliser, but Villa survived the remaining moments to secure their first league victory of the season. The final whistle was met with frustration around the stadium as another promising spell of football ended without reward.
There were positives within the performance, particularly Tottenham's energetic opening. Much like against Everton, they created several chances to almost have the game out of sight in the first half, but Tottenham are struggling to convert, which allows teams back in.
Spurs were wasteful when they controlled the contest, vulnerable when Villa attacked and ultimately left themselves with too much to do. Scoring twice will provide some relief after their recent struggles in front of goal, but the defensive errors and inability to sustain their early level remain serious concerns.
The result leaves Tottenham inside the relegation places with two points from their opening five league matches. De Zerbi now enters the international break under growing pressure.
Spurs (4-2-3-1): Kinsky, Pedro Porro (Gray 19), van de Ven (c), van Hecke, Robertson, Tonali (Gallagher 84), Bentancur (Bergvall 84), Savio, M Fernandes (Kudus 46), Marmoush, Solanke (Maddison 66). Substitutes (not used): Dubravka, Senesi, Tosin, Udogie.