BBC

Kirsty Hanson scored a stoppage-time winner as second-bottom Aston Villa beat Tottenham to ease their relegation fears.

Spurs looked to have secured a battling point as goals from Jess Naz and Ella Morris helped them recover from 2-0 down following earlier efforts from Anna Patten and Ebony Salmon.

However, Villa substitute Hanson, who also scored in their 2-1 victory over Liverpool last time out, struck in the 91st minute to secure back-to-back wins for Natalia Arroyo's side for the first time this season.

The crucial success moved Villa seven points clear of bottom club Crystal Palace with three games left, while Spurs are two points clear in ninth spot.

In a scrappy encounter in the capital, Villa made the breakthrough in the 30th minute when Patten, on her 26th birthday, headed in from close range after Rachel Daly's header rebounded off the bar.

Salmon doubled their lead 11 minutes after half-time, finding herself one-on-one with Lize Kop and beating the Dutch goalkeeper with a low strike.

However, Spurs, who haven't won a league match since January, responded superbly.

Naz produced a poacher's finish in the six-yard box from a 65th-minute corner, before Morris levelled in the 70th minute, bursting on to a speculative long ball and rounding Villa keeper Sabrina D'Angelo, who had come charging out of her goal, and sliding the ball in from a tight angle.

However, Hanson broke Tottenham hearts, breaking through the home defence on to a Daly pass, before slotting a low finish into the bottom corner.

More to follow.

Player of the match

Number: 20 K. Hanson

Average rating 8.91

Number: 7 J. Naz

Average Rating: 6.84

Number: 24 D. Spence

Average Rating: 6.37

Number: 11 O. Holdt

Average Rating: 6.37

Number: 3 E. Morris

Average Rating: 6.24

Number: 25 E. Summanen

Average Rating: 6.20

Number: 1 L. Kop

Average Rating: 6.15

Number: 9 B. England

Average Rating: 6.13

Number: 29 A. Neville

Average Rating: 5.78

Number: 5 M. Bartrip

Average Rating: 5.77

Number: 10 Maite Oroz

Average Rating: 5.55

Number: 17 M. Thomas

Average Rating: 5.50

Number: 13 M. Vinberg

Average Rating: 5.47

Number: 12 J. Rybrink

Average Rating: 5.39

Number: 31 L. Gunning-Williams

Average Rating: 5.13

Number: 23 R. Ayane

Average Rating: 5.00

Number: 20 K. Hanson

Average Rating: 8.91

Number: 4 A. Patten

Average Rating: 8.63

Number: 17 E. Salmon

Average Rating: 8.50

Number: 5 L. Staniforth

Average Rating: 8.39

Number: 9 R. Daly

Average Rating: 8.37

Number: 15 L. Parker

Average Rating: 7.88

Number: 7 M. Kearns

Average Rating: 7.88

Number: 25 M. Taylor

Average Rating: 7.83

Number: 16 N. Maritz

Average Rating: 7.71

Number: 23 C. Grant

Average Rating: 7.59

Number: 22 J. Baijings

Average Rating: 7.47

Number: 33 M. Pacheco

Average Rating: 7.41

Number: 28 Gabi Nunes

Average Rating: 7.31

Number: 1 S. D'Angelo

Average Rating: 7.06

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

Related topics

Tottenham have won each of their last three home league games against Nottingham Forest, having won just one of their previous 11 against them prior (D2 L8).

Nottingham Forest’s 1-0 win in the reverse fixture ended a six-game losing streak against Spurs in the Premier League. They last did the league double over them in the 1996-97 campaign.

Spurs have lost their last two Premier League games played on Easter Monday, with both of these defeats coming at home – 1-2 vs Manchester United in 2006 and 1-2 vs Norwich in 2012.

Nottingham Forest have lost just two of their last 35 league games played on Easter Monday (W21 D12), while in the top-flight they’re unbeaten in 16 (W13 D3) since a 1-0 loss at Chelsea in 1966.

Tottenham Hotspur have lost 17 Premier League matches in 2024-25, their most in one season since the 2003-04 campaign (19). Manager Ange Postecoglou is one of three Spurs bosses to lose 17+ games in a season, along with Osvaldo Ardiles in 1993-94 (19) and Gerry Francis in 1996-97 (18).

Nottingham Forest have lost each of their last two Premier League matches, having won three in a row beforehand. Only once under Nuno Espirito Santo have they suffered three defeats in a row, doing so in February and March last season.

Since Tottenham hammered Manchester City 4-0 on 23 November, only Ipswich Town (13), Leicester City (8) and Southampton (6) have picked up fewer points than Spurs (18), who have lost 12 out of 20 games since beating the reigning champions (W5 D3).

Tottenham Hotspur have lost 16 of their last 20 Premier League matches against teams starting the day in the top half of the table (W3 D1) and have lost eight out of nine (D1) since winning 4-0 against 2nd place Man City in November.

Jota Silva has scored in each of his last two away Premier League games for Nottingham Forest, both as a substitute; all three of his goals in the competition have been off the bench, scoring those from 13 shots, while in five games as a starter he’s had eight shots without finding the net.

See you soon

That's all we have for you today in the way of Women's Super League action.

You can find the match reports from Man City's draw with Everton and Aston Villa's win at Tottenham, plus any other reaction and news, over on the BBC Sport Women's Football index.

Many thanks as always for joining us and see you next time!

Before you go...

BBC Three

The women's super league reigning champions are next in league action on Wednesday night as they host Crystal Palace at Kingsmeadow.

That game is being shown live on BBC Three from 19:05 BST, with live updates available as ever here on the BBC Sport website.

A key game that will impact the title race and the relegation battle - one you don't want to miss.

Post

In case those two WSL games weren't enough to whet your footballing appetite for today, my colleagues Emma Smith and Emma Sanders are across Chelsea's huge Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona for you.

You can find all of the build up, coverage and reaction from that game here.

Table talk

Here's how today's two results have impacted the Women's Super League table.

Man City fail to make the most of neighbours United's draw at West Ham yesterday, so they now sit seven points off the Champions League places with just three games left to play.

Aston Villa remain in 11th place on goal difference but that huge win at Tottenham sees them put an extra cushion between themselves and rock bottom Crystal Palace.

They are seven clear of the Eagles with just three games left to play.

Post

FT: Tottenham 2-3 Aston Villa

So in the end Tottenham's valiant second half fightback was in vain as they were undone on the counter.

Their league winless streak in the month of April stretches to: P11 D4 L7.

The sooner this disappointing season ends the better for Robert Vilahamn and his players.

FULL-TIME

Tottenham 2-3 Aston Villa

It's a big, big win for Aston Villa as Kirsty Hanson's winning goal moves them seven points clear of the relegation spot with three games left to play.

They've won back to back league games for the first time since January 2024 and in doing so take a massive step towards securing their top flight status for another year.

GOAL - Tottenham 2-3 Aston Villa

Kirsty Hanson (90+1 mins)

Surely the winner for Villa!

Kirsty Hanson shoulders the "super sub" tag yet again as she runs free of the Tottenham defence before sliding a low finish into the bottom corner beyond Lize Kop.

That could be two winning goals in as many weeks for the Scotland international.

Post

Tottenham 2-2 Aston Villa

Kirsty Hanson does well to get to the byeline but her cut back sails over everyone in claret and blue in the middle.

Chasity Grant fires it back towards the six yard box but Missy Bo Kearns can't get enough purchase on her header to send it goalwards.

Post

Tottenham 2-2 Aston Villa

Tottenham keeper Lize Kop is down and needs a bit of treatment for what looks like a foot injury.

Both managers have called their players over to the touchline for a quick chat as we head into the final five minutes.

Post

Tottenham 2-2 Aston Villa

If it stays like this Tottenham will have won 16 points from losing positions this season. Since the start of last season only Manchester City (19) and Arsenal (17) have won more points from losing positions in the WSL.

On the other side of the coin Aston Villa have dropped more points from winning positions than any other side (34), soon to be 36 if this ends level.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to take on Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt in the semi-final of the Europa League.

The Norwegian club are second in the top-flight in Norway. They finished ninth in the Europa League table after having beat the likes of Besiktas and Porto, before conquering Olympiakos in the Round of 16 (4-2 on aggregate). Then they beat Italian club Lazio after penalties.

Bodo Glimt were in the second division less than eight years ago and have already beaten the likes of Jose Mourinho's AS Roma and Scottish giants Celtic during the 2021-22 season.

They are the first Norwegian side to reach a European men's semi-final, while they have won eight of their last ten two-legged European ties.

Speaking after his team's quarter-final penalty shootout win over Lazio, boss Kjetil Knutsen said: "I don't believe in miracles, I believe in our journey. Today, the magic was with us. We played an extraordinary match and we're incredibly proud to be in the semi-finals."

Under-fire Tottenham boss Ange Postecogolou says "you're going to have to put up with me for a bit longer" as he praises his players and staff for their 1-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt which heloed them into the semi-finals of the Europa League.

Tottenham Hotspur and Bodø/Glimt have never previously faced each other in any competition. Spurs have won all four of their previous European games against Norwegian teams, beating Lyn 6-3 (away) and 6-0 (home) in the 1972-73 UEFA Cup and Tromsø 3-0 (home) and 2-0 (away) in the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League.

Bodø/Glimt have lost all three of their European meetings with English clubs, losing home and away against Arsenal in the 2022-23 UEFA Europa League, while they lost 3-2 away at Man Utd earlier this campaign in the group stages.

This is Tottenham Hotspur’s ninth major European semi-final and first since the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League against Ajax. They’ve lost the first leg of their last two semi-finals (1-2 vs Hajduk Split in 1983-84 UEFA Cup, 0-1 vs Ajax in 2019) but recovered each time to reach the final.

Bodø/Glimt are the first Norwegian side in European football history to reach the semi-final of a major competition. It’s the first time there will be a country’s team represented in the final four for the first time since Ukraine’s Dynamo Kyiv reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 1998-99.

Including qualifiers, Tottenham Hotspur are unbeaten in their last 19 home matches in European competitions (W15 D4) since losing 1-0 to RB Leipzig in February 2020. It’s the longest ongoing run of any English side who has featured in Europe this season.

Bodø/Glimt have lost each of their last three away UEFA Europa League matches, all in the knockout stages, and have won just once away from home in 10 attempts (D3 L6), a 2-1 win at Braga in the group stage this season. The only two teams to lose the away leg of the last 16, quarter-final and semi-final and reach a Europa League final are Ajax in 2016-17 and Rangers in 2021-22.

Bodø/Glimt have made 296 tackles in this season’s UEFA Europa League, the most by a side in one season since 2017-18, when Marseille (309) and FC Red Bull Salzburg (346) made that many. Midfielder Patrick Berg has made a record 63 tackles this season, although he is suspended for this first leg.

Tottenham Hotspur have given 36 UEFA Europa League appearances to teenagers this season, the most by an English club in a season, and 26 starts by teenagers are the joint most with Man Utd in 2019-20.

Dominic Solanke has been involved in seven UEFA Europa League goals this season (3 goals, 4 assists), the most by a Spurs player in a campaign since Carlos Vinicius in 2020-21 (6 goals, 3 assists). The only Englishmen with more in one season for any team are James Tavernier for Rangers in 2021-22 (7 goals, 2 assists) and Bobby Zamora for Fulham in 2009-10 (6 goals, 2 assists).

Bodø/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen is the second Norwegian manager to take charge of a UEFA Europa League semi-final, along with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2019-20 and 2020-21 for Man Utd. Norwegian managers have lost all eight Europa League games against English teams, however.

"You're going to have to put up with me for a little bit longer."

On Wednesday, Ange Postecoglou admitted to having "no idea" if he would still be in a job following the Europa League quarter-final second leg trip to Eintracht Frankfurt.

But, following Thursday's 1-0 victory in Germany, Tottenham are through to a semi-final against Norway's Bodo/Glimt and have a first trophy in 17 years in their sights.

"Our fans have been through a tough time. Hopefully this gives them something to look forward to," said Postecoglou, whose Spurs side are 15th in the Premier League.

"I'm the same coach that I was yesterday. The players have never lost belief. People like to mock and diminish my achievements but I'll leave that there.

"I don't care, it doesn't bother me, it doesn't affect what I do. For me, it's always about the dressing room. Do the players believe? Do the staff believe?

"That's much more important than what others may make of me.

"So, unfortunately for a lot of you, you're going to have to put up with me for a little bit longer."

Despite being on the way to equalling their lowest Premier League finish, set in 1994, Postecoglou said he never lost faith in his players and feels his players have kept faith in him.

"They've been so united in believing in what we're trying to achieve here," the Australian manager said. "And that is what gave me heart all along that if we got our own slice of luck in terms of getting some players back [from injury], that I really believed this team could achieve. That is what keeps driving me.

"Not at any stage have I felt they lost any belief in me or what we're doing. That is crucial when you're having a difficult season, but there is also a season of opportunity there."

Post

Eintracht Frankfurt 0-1 Tottenham (1-2 agg)

Ange Postecoglou's hands are on his head as his side win another corner. Rodrigo Bentancur then gets up well but he heads over.

Got to be hitting the target!

Post

Eintracht Frankfurt 0-1 Tottenham (1-2 agg)

Dejan Kulusevksi breaks down the right and finds Mathys Tel on the edge of the box. Pedro Porro does well to join them and win a corner.

After a scramble, the ball breaks to Tel but he can't keep his shot down. Encouraging signs though.

Post

Chelsea 1-2 Legia Warsaw (agg 4-2)

Legia are appealing for another penalty, but the referee doesn't agree.

Luquinhas goes down after a challenge from Filip Jorgensen but the penalty isn't given.

Post

Man Utd 2-0 Lyon (agg 4-2)

A word about the atmosphere at Old Trafford.

It's been as impressive as the football Manchester United have served up.

They didn't need the pre-match fireworks to whip this lot up. They've been singing non-stop from minute one.

HITS THE WOODWORK

Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Rangers (agg 1-0)

Nicolas Raskin comes within inches of a leveller for Rangers after his close-range finish hits the left-hand post.

It looks like it's saved on the way.

A reminder that the winner of this game will face the winner of the Manchester United-Lyon tie.

Follow dedicated coverage of this game here.

'Romero is so unlucky'

Eintracht Frankfurt 0-1 Tottenham (1-2 agg)

Glenn Hoddle

Former England and Tottenham manager on TNT Sports

It's a very good ball in, beautifully whipped in.

It looked easier in real time but Cristian Romero is under immense pressure. So unlucky.

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Eintracht Frankfurt 0-1 Tottenham (1-2 agg)

A long way to go of course but could we be on the way to a Spurs v Man Utd Europa League final?

Post

Eintracht Frankfurt 0-1 Tottenham (1-2 agg)

How has that not gone in?!

Cristian Romero rises like a salmon but steers his header wide of the post. I thought that was in.

Post

Eintracht Frankfurt 0-1 Tottenham (1-2 agg)

Tremendous stuff from Spurs on the break as Dominic Solanke uses his body well in the box to then find Dejan Kulusevski. He tries to squeeze it past Kaua Santos but it's put behind for a corner.

Chelsea forwards searching to end goal drought

Chelsea 1-2 Legia Warsaw (agg 4-2)

Nizaar Kinsella

BBC Sport football news reporter

Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer were substituted without scoring.

It means that Jackson is now without a goal in 12 matches and Palmer has gone 15 without scoring in all competitions.

Post

Chelsea 1-2 Legia Warsaw (agg 4-2)

The changes have made a big difference for Chelsea.

There's a big appeal for a penalty as Christopher Nkunku sends a cross into the Legia box, but it looks to have hit the defender's back rather than arm.

Is it now or never for Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou?

His side are 15th in the Premier League, out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, and their one hope of a trophy - and final chance at redeeming a disappointing season - is through winning the Europa League.

Tottenham visit Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday in the quarter-finals having drawn their first leg 1-1 at home.

Even Postecoglou has admitted he is in the dark over whether he will remain as the club's head coach beyond the end of the season.

"No, no idea," he said on Wednesday. "We have a game tomorrow night, but it's not something I need to think about. I've never thought about those things in terms of what is important.

"What is important is the game that's a massive opportunity for this group of players and this football club to get closer to achieving what everyone wants to achieve."

So can Tottenham end their 17-year trophy drought? And even if they do, will under-pressure Postecoglou still survive the chop?

"It's Europa League or bust and the competition seems wide open," former Blackburn and Celtic striker Chris Sutton told BBC Sport.

"It looks winnable for all the teams that are left in it, and that's why you can't rule Tottenham out."

Tottenham haven't won a trophy since lifting the League Cup in 2008.

Postecoglou is in his second season at the club, and in September, he said: "I always win things in my second year."

Right now, his record looks to be in serious danger.

But if you rewind to the start of this campaign, hopes of success under Postecoglou didn't seem too outlandish.

The Australian had led Tottenham to a fifth-placed finish last season where, in moments, his side looked brilliant.

They were five points clear at the top of the league 10 games into the 2023-24 campaign, with Postecoglou named the Premier League's manager of the month in August, September and October.

Then, in November, came the injuries and suspensions. Inconsistency surfaced: Tottenham finished the season with five defeats from seven games.

It was also around this time a smattering of fans started to voice their frustration with Ange-ball and Postecoglou's lack of tactical plan B.

Those cries have since got louder, with Spurs set for their worst league campaign since 2003-04, when they finished 14th. They haven't ended a weekend in the top half of the table since November.

After needing extra time to beat non-league Tamworth in the FA Cup, they were then knocked out in the fourth round at Aston Villa.

They reached the EFL Cup semi-finals, where they beat Liverpool in the first leg but crumbled in the Anfield return for a 4-1 aggregate loss.

The Europa League is now their last chance of salvation. Without the trophy and a place in the Champions League next season, Postecoglou may find it hard to survive.

"He has his way of playing," added Sutton. "Last season there was great excitement, this season it hasn't worked.

"They have had a lot of injuries, of course. He always had this argument of 'we'll be all right once my best players are back' and people understood that, albeit every team has to cope with injuries, but the fact he has now got them all back and is still losing games, that does not help him."

"If he did win the Europa League, the fans would come back on board," former England midfielder Danny Murphy said. "Ange would get that connection back, because success gives you that wonderful feeling as a whole club.

"But if they go out of the Europa League with a whimper, I think it's too big a U-turn for Ange to get the fans back."

Opta's super computer gives Tottenham a 32.5% chance of winning their quarter-final return in Frankfurt.

Eintracht, third in the Bundesliga table, won the competition three years ago and smashed Eredivisie leaders Ajax 6-2 in the last round of the competition.

Whoever advances will face either Bodo/Glimt or Lazio for a place in the final.

It's no secret Tottenham's team has been decimated by injuries this season.

Of the 23 outfielders who have started in the league, only Pedro Porro, Archie Gray, Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and January loanee Mathys Tel haven't been sidelined for at least one match.

Postecoglou hasn't been able to pick his best XI once this season.

The manager's tactics may be blamed for that, though, as Spurs' high-pressing style means they lead the league in total sprints and presses in the final third.

They also lead the league in hamstring injuries, an injury associated with players being overworked.

Meanwhile, Daniel Levy - chairman since 2001 - has become an increasingly unpopular figure for a perceived lack of investment to strengthen the squad.

Spurs have won just the one trophy under his watch, the 2008 League Cup, and sold all-time top scorer Harry Kane to Bayern Munich in 2023.

Five of Tottenham's past eight signings have been teenagers.

"I think ultimately the question is should Tottenham be doing much better with the squad that they have got - and the answer is yes," Murphy told BBC Sport.

"They have lost too many games and their performances haven't been good enough. They have conceded too many goals, and been beaten by teams they should not be losing to, with the players they have got.

"You can't be one-dimensional as a manager any more. You've got to win games differently at different stages of the season, based on the players you have got available, their fatigue levels and the opposition."

Ange Postecoglou says he does not know whether he will remain Tottenham Hotspur head coach beyond the end of the season.

The Australian's position is under mounting uncertainty following a disappointing domestic season that leaves the club 15th in the Premier League, while they were eliminated from the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Spurs face Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany on Thursday night (20:00 BST) in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final which is evenly poised at 1-1.

Defeat would heap further doubt on Postecoglou's future.

When asked whether he knew what would happen regarding his position this season, Postecoglou said: "No - no idea. We have a game tomorrow night, but it's not something I need to think about. I've never thought about those things in terms of what is important.

"What is important is the game that's a massive opportunity for this group of players and this football club to get closer to achieving what everyone wants to achieve.

"Anything other than that, particularly in terms of me, I don't really have much thought process that thinks about my career or what I'm doing in that way."

Postecoglou's side have lost 17 Premier League games out of 32 this season.

Only the current bottom three clubs - Southampton (26 defeats), Leicester (22) and Ipswich (19) - have lost more.

Asked whether the speculation over his future was taking a toll on his mental wellbeing, Postecoglou said: "No, not at all. I don't define my career or me as a person about what people think about me. I never have, I never will.

"Whether I'm a good coach - one game isn't going to make a difference to that. If people think us winning tomorrow suddenly makes me a better manager than what I am today, or if losing tomorrow somehow makes me a worse manager, I guess that's their burden not mine. I just don't think that way in terms of my self-esteem.

"I couldn't care less, I really couldn't care less. There's no burden on me, or anxiety on me.

"What I'm doing is thinking we have a great opportunity to get to the final four of a major tournament. I'm not going to let that slip by without a fight, irrespective of what may come the day after."

Tottenham will be without captain Son Heung-min for the quarter-final because of a foot injury.