Aston Villa vs Tottenham: prediction, head-to-head stats and probable lineups — 03.05.2026
One of the headline fixtures of Premier League Matchday 35 will take place this Sunday at Villa Park in Birmingham, where Aston Villa host Tottenham. The home side are on the cusp of securing a Champions League spot, while the visitors, fresh off their first Premier League win of 2026, have finally caught a rare breath of fresh air in the relegation battle.
Match preview
Aston Villa come into this clash off the back of two painful defeats: first, Unai Emery's side lost to Fulham in the league, and then suffered a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final. Now, the Birmingham club face a tough crossroads: a top-five league finish is almost secured, but a pivotal European return leg at Villa Park looms in just a few days—a tie that could define their entire season. It's worth noting that since the March international break, Villa have conceded in five of their last six matches across all competitions.
At home, Villa have been a force to be reckoned with—four straight victories at Villa Park give Emery’s staff the luxury of cautious rotation without sacrificing ambition. The loss of Amadou Onana to a calf injury is a blow, but Emery can freshen things up with Ian Maatsen, Jadon Sancho and Lamare Bogarde, while maintaining the attacking core built around Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers.
Tottenham finally claimed their first Premier League win of 2026, edging Wolves 1-0 thanks to a João Palhinha goal. For Roberto De Zerbi’s side, it's not just three points—it’s a psychological turning point after a 15-match winless run in the league: four points from their last two games equals what Spurs managed in their previous 13 Premier League outings. Tottenham boast the third-best attack among the league's bottom half, with 43 goals—only Leeds (44) and Newcastle (46) have scored more in that group.
However, the squad situation for the Londoners once again resembles a crisis. Xavi Simons is out for the season with an ACL tear, Dominic Solanke may not play again this campaign due to a hamstring injury, and the absentee list already featured Kudus, Kulusevski, Odobert, Romero, Davies, and Vicario. The only positive is the return of Destiny Udogie to the squad. On the plus side, Spurs’ away form stands out: of their 34 points this season, 23 have come on the road—the seventh-best record in the league.
Probable lineups
- Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, Tielemans, Bogarde, Bailey, Rogers, Sancho, Watkins.
- Tottenham: Kinski, Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Palhinha, Kolo Muani, Gallagher, Tel, Richarlison.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Aston Villa have won their last four home matches in all competitions.
- Tottenham ended a 15-match winless run in the Premier League last round by beating Wolves 1-0.
- Aston Villa have won their last four meetings with Tottenham in all competitions, including two away victories (2-1) in the league and FA Cup this season.
At home, Villa have allowed 22.12 xGA— the worst mark among the Premier League’s top seven.
Villa have failed to score in only one of their nine meetings with Tottenham since the start of 2023.
Prediction
Aston Villa are objectively the stronger and more consistent side, especially at home, but the context makes this a trickier fixture than the table suggests. Emery’s squad have one eye on their Europa League semi-final, and their recent defeats indicate that Villa’s attack isn't firing on all cylinders. Tottenham remain a deeply troubled side with significant injuries, yet the first signs of De Zerbi’s influence are emerging: higher pressing, more aggressive ball recovery in the final third, and greater tactical bravery. The visitors desperately need points, and with potential rotation from the hosts, Spurs could well scrape a draw here.
