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Tottenham breathed new life into their battle to stay in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory at Champions league-chasing Aston Villa to move out of the relegation zone.

West Ham's 3-0 defeat at Brentford on Saturday opened the door for Spurs, and Roberto De Zerbi's side stepped confidently through it as the battle to beat the drop took a plot twist.

Spurs looked a different side under De Zerbi The way they pressed and won back possession all over the pitch was reminiscent of De Zerbi's Brighton, giving every indication Spurs will have enough to stay in the top flight next season.

Aston Villa, who made seven changes from their Europa League semi-final first leg defeat to Nottingham Forest, were second best from the very first whistle as first-half goals from Conor Gallagher and Richarlison as good as finished the game as a contest.

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The expected Villa resurgence never came in the second half and despite Emi Buendia's stoppage-time header, it was Spurs' night as they produced arguably their best performance of the season at such a crucial point in the campaign.

Spurs, who now have back-to-back wins in the league since their first two games of the season, are now one point above 18th-placed West Ham with three games of the season left to play and favourites to beat the drop, and with a home game to come against Leeds, after the Hammers host Arsenal, their position could be even better next week.

While it was Spurs' best performance of the season, Villa produced their worst display of the campaign, with their attention clearly on Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest.

Villa, who stay fifth with a six-point cushion to Bournemouth in sixth, have suffered three straight defeats in all competitions and missed the chance to all but seal a Champions League spot for next season.

Unai Emery's men now have to produce a response from a lacklustre display to overcome a one-goal deficit against Forest on Thursday.

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De Zerbi: Spurs showed what we are capable of

Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi to TNT Sports:

"We played against Aston Villa and Aston Villa is a very good team, with a lot of very good players and a great manager, but we played very well for 60 minutes, I think, with the ball, without the ball.

"Then we suffered Watkins, we suffered Buendia, we concede a goal. The only bad thing on the pitch was the goal we conceded.

"We could have scored more goals, especially in the first half, but I'm pleased for this performance from my players. I know how much they suffered this season and for that I'm very proud."

On what pleased him the most about Spurs' performance, he added: "The high pressure, for sure, because the high pressure is a mentality. Then the possession because we played very, very well, with calm. When we had to attack the space or to go to shoot, we did. When we had to keep the ball, we did.

"I love playing football. Especially if you have these players in the squad, my job is to help them, to put them in the right condition to play, to show what they are capable of doing."

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Sky Sports' betting expert Lewis Jones:

When you're assessing the player markets at this stage of the season, motivation and narrative can be just as powerful as the raw numbers and this is one where everything is aligning.

Bruno Fernandes to register an assist at 6/4 with Sky Bet looks a cracking play. Fernandes is sitting on 19 Premier League assists this season - just one shy of the all-time single-season record held by Thierry Henry (2002/03) and Kevin De Bruyne (2019/20).

Watching him recently, it's obvious he's actively looking to create rather than finish moves. His first instinct in and around the box is to slide passes, pick runners, and manufacture chances. That mindset is exactly what you want when backing assist lines.

At 6/4, you're getting a playmaker in elite form, with a clear target in sight, pulling the strings in a home environment where he thrives.

Everything points towards another assist being firmly on the agenda.

SCORE PREDICTION: 3-2 | JONES KNOWS' BEST BET: Bruno Fernandes to register an assist (6/4 with Sky Bet)

Manchester United vs Liverpool. It never needs extra billing.

A rivalry between two powerhouses.

United are on the cusp of qualifying for the Champions League with a win and if Bournemouth fail to beat Crystal Palace.

Liverpool will secure a top five finish with a win if both Brighton and Bournemouth fail to win.

Both teams are basically there, meaning this is all about bragging rights. With jeopardy lifted, this could be a cracker.

Let's get it on.

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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot:

"Every game you play has influence on your league position, That is not only when you play Man Utd.

" We are aware of the fact that it is a very big game, not only because we play Man Utd but also to qualify for Champions League and to get the highest possible position in the league table.

"We wanted to win the league. That is not possible, so we are trying to finish as high as possible. That is something we are going to try again on Sunday."

On potentially being able to confirm top-five finish with a win:

"I wouldn't say it is a step forward, but it is the right step to make. We know how important it is to qualify for the Champions League for any club, but definitely for our club.

"It is an important step. Is it a step forward? It is definitely not a step backwards but it is an important step to make."

Liverpool boss Arne Slot says Mohamed Salah is not fit to face Manchester United on Sunday – but he has confirmed he will be back before the end of the season.

It was feared that Salah, who is moving on in the summer, had played his final game after being forced off with an injury against Crystal Palace.

However, Liverpool expect him back playing before the season is out, giving the forward an opportunity to have a proper Anfield send-off.

"As we know from Mo, he is always working incredibly hard when he is fit but also when he is injured to be back as soon as possible.

"We expect him to be back for the final part of the season but not for Sunday."

He added: "In all ways it is a big relief that his injury is minor so he is able to play for us [again] and at the World Cup.

"If ever there was a player that deserves a big send-off, it is definitely Mo."

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker has not yet trained with his Liverpool team-mates ahead of Sunday's trip to Old Trafford.

Slot did not rule him out but said they would not "take a risk".

"He is very close to training with us. I have to hear today from the medical staff if he is able to train with us today, tomorrow or the start of next week.

"He's very close. We never want to take a risk with a player."

Man Utd head coach Michael Carrick on potentially finishing above Liverpool this season:

"It shows the improvements of the group and getting stronger to be coming into this game in a good position on the back of some good results and trying to achieve moving forward.

"We're fully aware of the situation in the league and how close it is between us, but that's not something we've focused on.

"It's a one-off game. They've got some good players and they won the league last year, and we respect everything that goes into the game.

"We're treating it as a one-off game and the league is what it is. Sunday is a whole different ball game.

"It's real privilege for us all to be involved in it... it's two incredible football clubs and to be so close together in so many ways, in terms of titles and geography, to have such an impact over such a time is so special.

"We all appreciate that."

Man Utd head coach Michael Carrick on Liverpool rivalry:

"It's certainly one of my favourite games. It's a standout game.

"There's big games and big rivalries that we have with other teams, but this one is right up there.

"The history, the ups and downs the history has produced in these kinds of games and the excitement, entertainment and emotion, which is a huge part of it, it makes it a really special game.

"It's the edge and the competition, irrespective of league positions over the years of who has ben on top at certain times, it's never really changed the feeling of the game and the emotion of the supporters.

"It's appreciating what it means to the supporters, we have to do that. It's a special game to be part of and to come out on top is the best feeling you can get."

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Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi launched a passionate rallying cry in the club's fight to avoid the drop, declaring "we're not relegated yet" and wants an end to "negative" voices around Spurs.

Despite earning their first Premier League win of 2026 last weekend at Wolves, Spurs remain two points from safety and their task to beat the drop has been made even more challenging following injuries to Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke.

But ahead of Sunday's trip to Aston Villa, where Spurs could find themselves five points adrift of West Ham if they win at Brentford on Saturday, De Zerbi has no time for negativity.

Responding to Sky Sports News' Michael Bridge's question, the Italian said: "I watched you on TV, but it is not a polemic. I heard, 'It is impossible [to stay up]'. We are crying, everyone [saying], 'We are relegated.' Not yet.

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"We have to die on the pitch and to die on the pitch we have to lose the game. Before losing the game, we have to play and we have to fight.

"We have two points less than West Ham and they have to play a difficult game as well.

"It is not the best moment for us; it is a tough and difficult moment.

"But the losers cry, the losers think negative. I don't want people close to me to be crying or think in a different way from me."

He added: "The most important challenge now is to silence the voice inside of us. Inside of the players, the staff and the fans.

"This voice produces negative thoughts and it says we are unlucky, we have too many injuries, we lost Xavi Simons, he was in the last two games one of our best and most important players.

"Our medical staff not good enough, the pitch of the stadium and the training ground is not good, it is impossible winning two or three games in a row because we have not won too many games in 2026.

"I think these are all negative things and it's rubbish because I want to keep my focus on ourselves and the quality of my players.

"We go to play against one of the best teams at the moment in the Premier League. I have big respect for [Unai] Emery as a coach but if Tottenham win at Villa Park it is not a miracle.

"Maybe we lose but we have the quality to win this game and it is not a miracle.

"We have to be positive and [feel] lucky because we are working in a big club.

"If Solanke and Simons are injured we can play with [Randal] Kolo Muani, [Mathys] Tel, Richarlison and they are not worse players. They are different with characteristics but very good players.

"We have Pedro Porro, [Destiny] Udogie, Micky van de Ven, [Rodrigo] Bentancur, [Joao] Palhinha, [Conor] Gallagher.

"For that all these things I don't have enough time to hear this or listen to these things."

Sky Sports News reporter lifts lids on De Zerbi exchange!

Sky Sports News' Michael Bridge:

"I was wondering if De Zerbi was going to say something to me because he was giving me one of those looks.

"I was about to ask, 'What a great win for Spurs, but it came at a huge cost with the injuries to Simons and Solanke and did they put a cloud over a much-needed win?' So I was leading to that question, but then De Zerbi said he watched me!

"I think he was referring to me on Monday with Tim Sherwood and Tom White on Sky Sports News' Fan Club, reading over an injury graphic.

"The graphic was not good because there are so many injuries! These are not one or two-week injuries; these are long-term absentees like Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Cristian Romero and now Simons.

"When De Zerbi first joined, he said to me he wanted to count on Kudus, but then he picked up a quad injury. He wanted to count on Romero, but then he got a serious injury at Sunderland. He wanted to count on Simons, but then he got a serious injury at Wolves.

"So the point I was making on Monday is that he's been so unlucky with these serious injuries, and could it derail Tottenham's chances of staying in the Premier League?

"But he doesn't want any negativity, and he's getting on with it, so my message back to him is 'You're absolutely right, fair play'."

PL Predictions: Spurs to get hammered at Villa

Sky Sports' tipster Lewis Jones:

If it looks like relegation season, smells like a relegation season, quacks like a relegation season then it's probably a relegation season.

The footballing gods have made up their mind on Spurs it seems. That line of thinking was rubberstamped despite the 1-0 win at Wolves where they didn't play well.

That West Ham injury-time winner was a cruel one and yet more injuries to key players in Xavi Simons, their only real creative player in form, and Dominic Solanke is making an already tough task even more difficult for Roberto De Zerbi.

But there is one place that still believes in this Tottenham team: the betting markets. And this really is great news as we can back Aston Villa at a staggering price at odds against of 21/20 with Sky Bet for the win.

The market has got too carried away by Spurs' need for the win and have glossed over the key factor in that they are an inferior team in every department.

Aston Villa at home under Unai Emery are so difficult to beat - this is a team that has beaten Man City, Arsenal and Man Utd at Villa Park this season. Beating Spurs should be a doddle.

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Save of the season? It could save Spurs' season.

With Tottenham on the brink of a first Premier League win of 2026, Antonin Kinsky's 98th-minute, full-stretch dive to keep out what looked to be an inch-perfect Joao Gomes free-kick was pivotal to their victory at Wolves last weekend.

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With relegation rivals Nottingham Forest and West Ham also winning last weekend, Spurs didn't gain ground. But they did gain confidence and bolstered belief they have reached a turning point and can kick-on to overhaul their two-point gap to safety.

A wonder-save? "I'm happy you say so," smiles Kinsky modestly, during an exclusive interview with Sky Sports. "It was more also the weight of the moment. Everyone knows it's important, especially the last minute because then you don't have time to add another one."

On the value of the win, he says: "It's very precious. If we wouldn't bring three points from there, of course, it would be much more difficult now.

"We are not closer but at least we didn't get further [away]. So the difference is still just two points."

The belief within the Spurs squad that they can rescue themselves from this precarious situation with four games to go has been renewed.

"It's just positive," says Kinsky, when asked how he sees the relegation battle. "I think if anyone from us would feel different, then there is no point of being within the squad.

"Where it all starts, it's here. And if you don't believe it, then you can't achieve it. So this is the most important thing. OK, do your best to be prepared but, first of all, you need to have the goal and believe it. Otherwise everything is pointless.

"So I believe everyone is like this and I believe this is what's going to help us a lot."

That attitude has been strengthened by the arrival of new head coach Roberto De Zerbi. The charismatic Italian has had a quick impact on the pitch and across the group, lifting up Kinsky and his team-mates.

"By the way he speaks, what you read and what you hear from him is that he believes in us and that is a big message that he gives us overall: that the quality is there in the squad," says Kinsky.

"It's just not to speak about it but to show it. With the combination, with the style that he wants to play, I think our squad fits to that so I believe this is going to work.

"Now we have four points from three games, there is four left and I hope and I believe that this is the right way."

Kinsky has a calm, focused and positive approach to Spurs' situation. It is a mindset that also allowed him to overcome a major personal hurdle this season.

Under former boss Igor Tudor, Kinsky endured a brutal Champions League debut at Atletico Madrid. There were two bad individual errors from the Czech goalkeeper and three goals conceded by the time he was hooked after just 17 minutes of the first leg of the last-16 tie.

Kinsky had been a surprise selection ahead of regular No 1 Guglielmo Vicario, having appeared in just two Carabao Cup ties in the entire season before that match in March.

While Kinsky admits there was plenty of self-reflection on his errors after the game, his performances this month, with Vicario sidelined by a hernia operation, have been notably impressive. He has put his nightmare in Madrid behind him to play an important role in Spurs' run-in.

"It was a moment, debut in the Champions League, that I was dreaming of as a young boy. For me, this was the thing that I was going for. I was looking forward to it so much," says Kinsky.

"Of course, after the game, I was sad that this happened but on the other hand, I was calm.

"I have good people around me who always give me good feedback, what they really think about it and they are honest with me. So, I spoke to them a lot, I listened to them, then I compared it to my feelings and they were similar.

"So, upon me, it was just to keep going and make sure that when the next opportunity comes, I will be ready again."

Stronger for the experience?

"Yeah, I would say I'm stronger by that one experience.

"It's not like before I would feel weak, now I feel stronger because I made [that experience]. You make it because you are strong already and it makes you just stronger and it helps you just to grow.

"There is always so much things to improve, so it just shows you the things that you can get better at or mentally to adjust a little bit the approach towards the game."

With time running out this season, Spurs must learn their lessons quickly. But the resilience of their goalkeeper Kinsky is a good inspiration for the challenges ahead, which will decide their Premier League status.