London Evening Standard

After a favourable result yesterday, Tottenham can boost their hopes of preserving their Premier League status when they take on Champions League-chasing Aston Villa this evening. Spurs won their first league game of 2026 last weekend and know if they can follow that up with another victory in the Midlands, the reward will be to climb out of the bottom three after West Ham were heavily beaten by Brentford.

Tottenham have lost both games against Villa this season - both of which at home - and their task at Villa Park has been made all the more difficult with Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke being added to an already lengthy injury list. However, Roberto De Zerbi is set to welcome Destiny Udogie and Pape Matar Sarr back as he plots a key win in the relegation battle.

Villa's upcoming Europa League semi-final second leg may prove a factor, though Unai Emery's side know they can all-but confirm a top-five finish with a win. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Sam Tabuteau.

Former Tottenham winger Chris Waddle is adamant that James Maddison must start if he is fit enough to play a role in Spurs’ Premier League run-in.

Tottenham remain in serious danger of being relegated to the Championship despite recording their first league win in 118 days away at bottom club Wolves last weekend.

Still two points from safety with just four games remaining this term, Spurs are in desperate need of attacking inspiration after losing Xavi Simons to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

The Dutch midfielder has been ruled out for the remainder of the season as well as this summer’s World Cup.

Maddison is the obvious replacement for Simons, but despite being named on the bench for Tottenham’s last two games, he has not played a competitive fixture now in nearly a year.

The 29-year-old has been working his way back to fitness after suffering his own ACL injury last August, and head coach Roberto De Zerbi is hesitant to rush the midfielder‘s rehabilitation.

With time running out for Spurs to avoid relegation to the second tier for the first time since 1977, Waddle is insistent that his former club must risk Maddison if he is in any way fit enough to play.

“I just wonder if he [De Zerbi] can get Maddison in the team. I think he’s a good player. We know the lad can create,” Waddle told Standard Sport, speaking on behalf of Prime Casino, which has a wide variety of online slots, including Football Cash Collect.

“And when he gets a ball and if he's feeling fit and he's confident about his knee, then he's got to be put into the team because he is a creative player.”

But they appeared to have found a solution to their creative issues with Simons starting on the left of De Zerbi’s 4-2-3-1 formation before drifting centrally as he did to great effect against Brighton.

Simons’ absence, the third season-ending injury De Zerbi has suffered since taking charge a month ago, means the Spurs boss has had to go back to the drawing board.

Waddle believes that Mathys Tel, who has struggled to earn consistent minutes this season, could also be the answer for Tottenham.

The French winger has impressed off the bench, forcing the corner from which Joao Palhinha struck the winning goal against Wolves, and could be in line for a rare start when Spurs travel to Aston Villa on Sunday.

“I thought Tel, who came on against Wolves, if he could hold that form, maybe this manager suits him. He does like to play on the front foot,” Waddle continued.

“He does like attacking players. He likes players who can do things on the ball. So Tel could be a bright spark in the last four games. But really, I just wonder if he can get Maddison in the team.”

That rallying cry came at the end of Spurs’ 2-2 draw at home to Brighton, in which they conceded a 95th-minute equaliser from Georginio Rutter, and De Zerbi has since been keen to stay positive.

“I can't change my face or myself depending on who is in front of me. Clear, honest and what I feel I say,” De Zerbi said.

“The voice says, ‘we are unlucky, we have too many injuries, we lost Xavi Simons and he was the last two games one of the best players and most important players for us, our medical staff is not good enough and the pitch of the stadium is not good, the pitch of the training ground is not good, it is impossible to win two or three games in a row because we have not won too many games in 2026,’ I think it is all negative things.

De Zerbi said his positivity stems from the reality of Spurs’ situation, insisting he is not blind to the problems at the club, but that he has seen enough in his first month in charge to believe they can stay up.

“I'm not [being] positive, I want to be realistic, it's different being positive, not positive because today is sunny, it's Italian weather, and I'm positive, no, no. I want to be realistic, and for that I'm like, so I feel this pressure to change the perspective. The same perspective you can see in different ways,” De Zerbi continued.

“One way is we are unlucky, we are at the bottom of the table. The other perspective is, yes, but we play with Pedro Porro, with Udogie, with Bentancur, with Bissouma, with Palhinha, with Gallagher, with Richarlison, with Kolo Muani. Kolo Muani two years ago, PSG paid £70 million [for him].

“He's not stupid, he's a top player. Mathys Tel is one of the best young players in Europe. Richarlison is in the Brazilian national team, he's not in a different team.”

“In the first half he was telling us he was feeling something in his calf but in another leg,” Unai Emery explained afterwards. “I don’t know how he’s going to recover.

“Hopefully in a few days he can recover. But of course we must be careful with him as well.”

Onana made his return to the Villa side at the City Ground, having recovered from a knock that saw him miss the defeat to Fulham last weekend.

With the second leg falling after the Spurs game, it is possible that the Belgium international is not risked on Sunday to give him more time to prove his fitness for the big European decider.

Villa are currently fifth in the Premier League table and are on course to qualify for the Champions League, regardless of the outcome from their Europa League journey.

Emery’s side have an eight-point advantage over sixth-placed Brighton which means a return to Europe’s top table could be sealed as early as this weekend, depending on results elsewhere.

Tottenham won their first league match in 2026 against already-relegated Wolves last weekend, but the result was not enough to lift them out of the bottom three due to West Ham’s win over Everton.

Roberto De Zerbi says he does not know if James Maddison will be able to play for Tottenham between now and the end of the season.

The 29-year-old has not played a competitive fixture in exactly a year - Spurs’ Europa League semi-final first-leg against Bodo Glimt - but has been named on the bench in each of their last two games.

De Zerbi has been hesitant to say that Maddison is fit enough to play in Spurs’ remaining four games, instead suggesting that he has been providing a leadership role within the squad.

In any other season, De Zerbi would be unlikely to risk Maddison. But with Xavi Simons now out for the remainder of the season after suffering an ACL injury against Wolves last weekend, he has a decision to make about Maddison’s fitness.

The England midfielder is training “very well” according to De Zerbi, but the Spurs boss admitted that while he would like to play Maddison, he did not know if he would be able to feature against Aston Villa or Leeds.

“I don't know, I would like to play with him, because he's a special player, he's a different player, but we have to consider the physical condition, a lot of things. But I think he can be important in the next three games,” De Zerbi said in his pre-match press conference.

But while he is cautious about throwing Maddison headfirst into a relegation battle, De Zerbi insists that he can have an impact on the squad, regardless of whether he is on the pitch.

Asked what qualities Maddison has provided since returning to Spurs’ matchday squad, De Zerbi praised his “experience” and “personality” while admitting he would need Maddison to be 100 per cent ready before bringing him into the team.

“If you have much experience, you are calmer. You can consider the timing when you have to speak, when you have to say something or not.

“And I want him to stay inside even if he doesn't play, because when he will be ready to play, I want him 100 per cent inside of the plan of the team.”

Roberto De Zerbi has said Dominic Solanke will be absent for Tottenham’s trip to Aston Villa this Sunday.

The 28-year-old went down off the ball and received treatment on the pitch before being replaced by Richarlison in the 40th minute.

Reports this week then suggested that Solanke had suffered a grade 2 hamstring injury and would miss the remainder of the season.

Asked for an update on Solanke’s fitness, De Zerbi said: “I don’t know yet (if he is out for the rest of the season). Villa no.”

Guglielmo Vicario is still not available after missing the last three games following hernia surgery.

De Zerbi had said he expected Vicario to be back in training at the start of this week but he confirmed some bad about the Italian shot-stopper.

“He is not available,” said the Spurs head coach.

Destiny Udogie also missed the win over Wolves with a muscular injury, but will be fit as Spurs travel to Champions League-chasing Villa.

“Udogie can be available,” De Zerbi added. “I dont know beginning of the game or the second-half.”

Spurs’ injury woes have only increased since De Zerbi took charge, with the club confirming that Xavi Simons had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Wolves.

Simons, who was stretchered off the pitch at Molineux following a coming together with Wolves defender Hugo Bueno, will now miss the remainder of the season as well as this summer’s World Cup.

Deputy goalkeeper had a nightmare Champions League debut

Oli Gent

COMMENTS

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky has reflected on his glaring errors against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, believing that he is “stronger” for it.

The Czech goalkeeper was called upon in a surprise selection by then manager Igor Tudor, who dropped first-choice shot-stopper Guglielmo Vicario to the bench for the big last 16 first leg at the Estadio Metropolitano.

Spurs found themselves 4-0 down inside 22 minutes in the Spanish capital, and Kinsky was at fault for two of the four goals.

He misplaced a pass while trying to play out for Atleti’s opener as Marcos Llorente punished him inside six minutes, and he then produced an airshot while trying to clear the ball from the onrushing Julian Alvarez, who capitalised to net the hosts’ third of the evening.

It led to Tudor hauling Kinsky off after just 16 minutes, replacing him with Vicario in a stunning first-half substitution.

"It was a moment, [my] debut in the Champions League, that I was dreaming of as a young boy,” Kinsky told Sky Sports.

“For me, this was the thing that I was going for. I was looking forward to it so much.

"Of course, after the game, I was sad that it 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.

“I spoke to them a lot, I listened to them, then I compared it to my feelings and they were similar.

“It was just to keep going and make sure that when the next opportunity comes, I will be ready again."

Subbed: Antonin Kinsky

Getty

The Czech, who has been new boss Roberto De Zerbi’s No1 with Vicario nursing an injury, joined Spurs from Slavia Prague in January 2025.

Read More

Tottenham XI vs Aston Villa: Confirmed team news and predicted lineup

Spurs handed fresh hope in relegation battle as Nuno issues warning

'It makes sense': Slot drops Liverpool future hint amid new 'option'

Sponsored

Discover a hidden island paradise in the Indian Ocean

“I would say I'm stronger by that one experience,” Kinsky continued on that night in Madrid.

"It's not like before I would feel weak, now I feel stronger because I [had that experience].

“You make it because you are strong already and it makes you just stronger and it helps you just to grow.

"There are always so many 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."

Kinsky underlined his importance to Spurs with a fine save to deny Joao Gomes in the 98th minute at Molineux last weekend, as De Zerbi secured a first win of his tenure.

The three points gave the north London club a lift in their bid to stay in the Premier League, although West Ham’s late victory to beat Everton meant that Spurs remained in the bottom three with four games to play.

They are two points adrift of their London rivals, and Spurs take on Aston Villa on Sunday as their relegation run-in intensifies.

"It was more the weight of the moment,” Kinsky said of his stoppage-time save.

“Everyone knows it's important, especially at the last minute because then you don't have time to add another one.

“It's very precious. If we didn’t bring three points from there, of course, it would be much more difficult now.

"We are not closer [to safety] but at least we didn't get further [away].”

MORE ABOUT

With Wolves and Burnley already confirmed to be going down, one final relegation spot remains as the battle to avoid the drop reaches a pivotal stage.

Nottingham Forest and Leeds have pulled away from the bottom three in weeks, leaving the Hammers and Spurs either side of the dreaded dotted line.

West Ham are currently on 36 points, two clear of 18th-placed Spurs, three adrift of Forest and four shy of Leeds, who have it the ‘magic’ 40-point mark and face Burnley at Elland Road on Friday night.

The Hammers’ last four matches start with Saturday’s London derby at Brentford and culminates against Leeds at home on the final day which Nuno believes could yet be decisive.

“I see it as an overall picture,” Nuno said in the pre-Brentford press conference. “I think nothing in the table is decided, no matter where you are or what we are fighting.

“This year is so tight in all the positions that everything is going to be to the final moment.

“In all the aspects of the table, it’s going to go to the last one, for sure.”

A quirk in the fixture schedule means West Ham will play before Spurs in each of the next three rounds of matches.

While Tottenham will face Europa League semi-finalists Aston Villa away from home on Sunday already knowing how West Ham got on 24 hours earlier, Nuno does not see that a disadvantage.

“Look, I don’t consider it like that,” he added. “We try to isolate from that aspect.

“If we play after, before, at the same time, it’s up to us. What we try to do is shield our players, our team, inside their task in the pit. Because you cannot control what’s going on outside.

“It’s going to be Saturday and the next day but as long as we keep focused on ourselves, I think we can do better.”

Nevertheless, Nuno will watch the Spurs game on Sunday and says his players can do the same.

“Everyone is free to do whatever they want,” he said. “Me? For sure, I’m going to watch the game. Some players will watch the game.

“But we cannot get away from it. The priority, believe me, is what you do. It’s what we do.”

Roberto De Zerbi dealing with more huge selection blows as Spurs desperately fight against relegation

Sam Tabuteau

COMMENTS

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Roberto De Zerbi has been left to sweat over the fitness of Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Aston Villa this weekend.

Spurs travel to Villa Park on Sunday evening sitting in 18th place in the Premier League table and still two points from safety with just four games left to play this season.

Tottenham secured their first league win of the calendar year last weekend by beating bottom-of-the-table Wolves 1-0 at Molineux, but time is running out for them to turn things around after rivals West Ham also defeated Everton.

Spurs’ victory against Wolves was overshadowed by injuries in each half to Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke.

Simons had to be stretchered off after colliding with Wolves defender Hugo Bueno in the 61st minute, while Solanke was substituted before half-time.

Simons has been ruled out for the remainder of the season as well as this summer’s World Cup after Spurs confirmed the Dutch midfielder had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee.

Meanwhile, reports have since surfaced suggesting that Solanke is also set to miss the remaining four games of the season with a grade 2 hamstring injury.

Major blow: Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke could miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury

PA

Richarlison took Solanke’s place at Molineux, and the Brazilian is expected to start against Villa, with De Zerbi saying he was unsure how many games Solanke would miss.

De Zerbi is contending with a mounting injury list and will hope that he can call upon Udogie and Vicario against Villa.

Vicario has been out since undergoing hernia surgery during the March international break, while Udogie was absent against Wolves with a muscle injury.

Read More

De Zerbi faces huge Maddison decision to solve latest Tottenham crisis

Aston Villa vs Tottenham: Prediction, kick-off time, team news, h2h

'Really sad': Pochettino issues Tottenham relegation verdict

Sponsored

Winter escapes and activities to end the year in style

It is unclear how long Udogie will be out, but De Zerbi insisted it was “not a big problem” when asked about the left-back’s fitness last week.

De Zerbi also confirmed that he expected Vicario to return to training early this week. Pape Matar Sarr will also be assessed, having missed the last two games with a shoulder injury.

Rumours suggesting that Randal Kolo Muani has suffered a hamstring injury are believed to be inaccurate, and the French forward is expected to bolster De Zerbi’s attacking options on Sunday.

Without Simons, De Zerbi has a decision to make about who replaces him.

He could opt to risk James Maddison, who has been named on the bench in the last two games, but has not played a competitive game in nearly a year.

Alternatively, Mathys Tel could be handed a rare start on the left wing, or Lucas Bergvall could reprise his role as the No10 in De Zerbi’s 4-2-3-1 formation.

Should Udogie be unavailable for selection, then Djed Spence is expected to keep his place at left-back, while Antonin Kinsky will continue in goal if Vicario is deemed unfit.

Spurs could find themselves five points adrift of safety by the time they kick off against Villa, if West Ham beat Brentford on Saturday afternoon.

Predicted Tottenham XI (4-2-3-1): Kinsky; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence; Bentancur, Bissouma; Kolo Muani, Bergvall, Tel; Richarlison

Doubts: Maddison, Udogie, Vicario, Sarr

Injured: Davies, Kulusevski, Odobert, Kudus, Romero, Simons, Solanke

Time and date: 7pm BST on Sunday May 3, 2026

Venue: Villa Park

How to watch: TNT Sports

MORE ABOUT

James Maddison has not kicked a ball in anger in almost a year - is rushing him back a risk worth taking?

Sam Tabuteau

COMMENTS

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Sam Tabuteau

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Roberto De Zerbi is quickly learning to save his breath.

No sooner had the Tottenham manager declared his belief that Spurs would stay in the Premier League than news of Xavi Simons’ anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury was confirmed.

In a season in which optimism has been in such short supply, there was a crushing inevitability to the news that the “heartbroken” Simons would miss the rest of the season, as well as this summer’s World Cup, and many months thereafter.

The Dutch midfielder had just started to position himself as a central figure in De Zerbi’s blueprint for survival.

Not even a first league win in 118 days gave Spurs some respite, with West Ham’s stoppage-time winner ensuring they remain two points from safety with just four games to go.

Xavi Simons suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury against Wolves

PA

De Zerbi, like Igor Tudor, Thomas Frank and Ange Postecoglou before him, is finding out the hard way that keeping Spurs’ brittle squad fit is nine-tenths of the job.

Simons is the third player, after Cristian Romero and Mohammed Kudus, to suffer a season-ending injury since De Zerbi took charge a month ago. While there are fears that Dominic Solanke could miss the remaining four games with a hamstring injury. Rumours surrounding an injury to Randal Kolo Muani have been denied.

There is a wider conversation to be had about the decision-making processes at a club that has overhauled its medical department for the last two summers running, yet has seen more ACL injuries (3) than home wins (2) in the Premier League this season.

However, time is of the essence for De Zerbi and Spurs, so the Italian is not willing to reflect on the existential issues facing the club just yet and will instead look for solutions to the loss of Simons as he tries to build on the momentum of last weekend’s win over Wolves.

Simons, who has started just 19 of Spurs’ 34 league games this season, has struggled to get going since his £52million move from Red Bull Leipzig last summer. Yet his absence will be felt - no Spurs player has provided more assists in all competitions than the 23-year-old.

Spurs have been desperately short of creative inspiration this season, ranking joint 20th for through balls completed and 17th for expected goals for among Premier League teams.

The failed recruitment strategy of technical director Johan Lange, which has prioritised young players with impressive physical output data over more technically proficient players, has left Spurs with a squad devoid of creativity.

Read More

Aston Villa vs Tottenham: Prediction, kick-off time, team news, h2h

'Really sad': Pochettino issues Tottenham relegation verdict

Hoddle reveals stunning Spurs offer before De Zerbi appointment

Sponsored

Discover a hidden island paradise in the Indian Ocean

The failures of the club, both from a recruitment and a medical standpoint, have now put De Zerbi in an uncompromising position as he weighs up whether to rush James Maddison back to fitness to try to save Spurs’ season.

Maddison has been out since August with an ACL injury and has not played a single minute of competitive football in nearly a year.

However, the sight of the English midfielder on the bench in Spurs’ last two games has raised the possibility of him playing again before the end of the season.

De Zerbi is apprehensive. He says he does not want to push Maddison in the same way the club did with Kudus before the Ghanaian suffered a setback in his recovery from a serious quad injury.

Push, though, may very well come to shove, now De Zerbi knows he cannot rely on Simons to provide the creative spark Spurs need heading into the four biggest games in the club’s history.

Maddison was included on the bench against Wolves last weekend, but definitively unavailable. De Zerbi’s restraint will now be put to the test ahead of Sunday’s trip to Champions League-chasing Aston Villa.

Spurs are in a perilous position. So, in mulling over whether to throw Maddison headfirst into a relegation battle, De Zerbi is trying to strike the right balance between risk and responsibility.

He has options outside of Maddison. Lucas Bergvall, one of the players signed by Lange for his physical rather than technical capabilities, could come in as the No10, or Mathys Tel could be handed a rare starting berth on the left wing.

James Maddison applauds Spurs fans ahead of kick-off at Wolves

PA

Neither option, though, is particularly compelling compared to the promise of what Maddison could deliver. Dangerous from free-kicks, corner kicks and in open-play, his quick feet help him carve out shooting positions, while he has the timing and awareness to create chances for himself and others.

In any other season, De Zerbi would not think twice about letting Maddison ease his way back to fitness.

But these are troubling times for Spurs, and there is no doubt that the former Leicester man would relish the chance to be a hero for the club he has endeared himself to with his generous personality and talismanic performances.

In his first address to supporters, De Zerbi said he wanted the club to remember who they were again. A gentle nod to the daring spirit of players like Glenn Hoddle and Paul Gascoigne.

Now, there is no denying that Maddison would enjoy the responsibility of trying to emulate such players in a bid to keep Spurs in the Premier League.

But De Zerbi, himself a No10 in his playing days, will know that careers are short and he is ultimately responsible for his players’ welfare.

To dare is to do, but at what cost for De Zerbi, Spurs and Maddison?

MORE ABOUT