Aston Villa’s first Premier League win of 2026-27 arrived at the fifth attempt, and it came with the sort of late nervousness that made Tottenham Hotspur Stadium briefly remember how to roar. Unai Emery’s rebuilt side led by three before Spurs, still without a league victory themselves, found their first domestic goals of the campaign in a 3-2 defeat.
Villa make their break before half-time
Both clubs came into the afternoon searching for a foothold. Villa have had a sizeable summer reconstruction to manage, while Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham were still dealing with their Carabao Cup exit to Liverpool and a league start that has yet to gather any rhythm.
De Zerbi continued to shuffle his attacking pieces, using Can Marmoush from a wide area and handing Mateus Fernandes the central attacking role. Emery gave Manzambi his first Villa start after the player’s initial two appearances from the bench, having arrived carrying an injury.
- Tottenham goalkeeper Suzuki made two important stops from Sávio early on, lifting the home support.
- Pedro Porro, returning from recent physical problems, felt a pull in the back of his thigh and went off after 19 minutes. Archie Gray replaced him.
- The injury makes Porro’s involvement with Spain during the coming international break highly unlikely.
- Villa goalkeeper Kinsky had little serious work apart from a save from Emi Buendía, while Suzuki continued to make useful interventions at the other end.
Spurs could not sustain their attacks, and Villa struck in first-half stoppage time. Van de Ven had required attention after taking a blow to the eye, and while he was looking to return, Manzambi reacted quickest to turn in Kamara’s mishit effort and give the visitors the lead.
De Zerbi changes shape, but Villa find the spaces
At the interval De Zerbi brought on Mohammed Kudus, moving him into the No 10 role ahead of Rodrigo Bentancur and Sandro Tonali. Mateus Fernandes, whose transfer cost was close to €100 million, did not reappear after the break.
The adjustment did not immediately alter the direction of the match. Villa dropped into a compact shape and looked to release Nico Jackson into the space behind Tottenham’s defence. Spurs thought they had levelled around the hour mark when Kudus scored, only for the goal to be ruled out because Robertson had been offside earlier in the move.
The afternoon then became harsher for the home side. James Maddison had only just entered the game when Villa doubled their advantage in the 68th minute. Suzuki’s long pass sent Jackson away, the Senegal forward beat Van de Ven, exchanged passes with Manzambi and created room to finish on the volley. Kinsky got a hand to it but could not keep it out.
Buendía settles it before a late Spurs flicker
Emi Buendía appeared to have put the result beyond argument ten minutes later, driving a first-time effort from the edge of the penalty area into the top corner for Villa’s third. On the Tottenham bench, De Zerbi had the look of a manager facing an international break that may offer rather more time for reflection than he would prefer.
With supporters already leaving around the ground, Tottenham finally found a measure of consolation. Gallagher scored their first Premier League goal of the season when the result was effectively settled, and Van Hecke reduced the gap again with the final action of the match.
It could not disguise another winless league day for Spurs. For Villa, though, the table will look a little less forbidding after a first victory earned through Manzambi’s breakthrough contribution, Jackson’s pace on the counter and Buendía’s finish of real quality.
