Head-to-Head Summary
Aston Villa have had the better of this matchup in recent seasons. Across the last 10 competitive meetings:
Aston Villa wins: 7
Tottenham wins: 3
Draws: 0
Aston Villa goals: 16
Tottenham goals: 15
Villa's advantage is particularly notable in North London. They have won four of their last five competitive away matches against Spurs. Tottenham's only home victory in that sequence was the 4-1 Premier League win in November 2024.
Tottenham did win the most recent H2H, beating Villa 2-1 at Villa Park in May. That result ended a run of four consecutive Villa victories in this fixture.
Last 10 Meetings
May 3, 2026 — Premier League: Aston Villa 1-2 Tottenham
January 10, 2026 — FA Cup: Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa
October 19, 2025 — Premier League: Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa
May 16, 2025 — Premier League: Aston Villa 2-0 Tottenham
February 9, 2025 — FA Cup: Aston Villa 2-1 Tottenham
November 3, 2024 — Premier League: Tottenham 4-1 Aston Villa
March 10, 2024 — Premier League: Aston Villa 0-4 Tottenham
November 26, 2023 — Premier League: Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa
May 13, 2023 — Premier League: Aston Villa 2-1 Tottenham
January 1, 2023 — Premier League: Tottenham 0-2 Aston Villa
There is no recent draw pattern here. All 10 matches produced a winner, and seven were decided by one goal. That suggests recent Tottenham vs Aston Villa games have often been competitive even when one team controls the wider H2H sequence.
Villa's success at Tottenham is difficult to ignore. They have repeatedly found ways to hurt Spurs in transition, particularly when Tottenham commit numbers forward.
Tottenham Current Form
Tottenham's last five completed competitive matches before Tuesday's cup tie produced one win, two draws and two defeats.
September 12 — Tottenham 0-0 Everton
September 5 — Nottingham Forest 0-0 Tottenham
August 29 — Tottenham 0-2 Newcastle United
August 26 — Tottenham 5-1 Charlton Athletic
August 22 — Brentford 3-0 Tottenham
The contrast between league and cup form is extreme. Spurs scored five against Charlton but have failed to score in each of their opening four Premier League matches. The 0-0 draw with Everton extended that drought beyond 400 league minutes.
That is now the central issue for De Zerbi. Tottenham have shown improved defensive control. Consecutive clean sheets against Nottingham Forest and Everton represent progress after conceding five goals across their first two league games.
But they still need goals. Possession and territorial control have not translated into enough high-quality chances, while several new attacking players are still adjusting to De Zerbi's positional demands.
Aston Villa Current Form
Villa's last five competitive matches have produced one win, one draw and three defeats.
September 12 — Aston Villa 1-2 Nottingham Forest
September 8 — Club Brugge 2-3 Aston Villa
September 5 — Hull City 0-0 Aston Villa
August 31 — Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal
August 23 — Brighton 4-0 Aston Villa
The Champions League win at Club Brugge is the clear positive. Domestically, Villa have struggled badly. Four Premier League matches have produced one point, one goal and seven conceded.
The Forest defeat was particularly frustrating. Villa reached 1-1 through Alysson after Liam Delap had opened the scoring, but Igor Jesus struck late to give Forest a 2-1 victory. Unai Emery accepted responsibility after his team lost control of the second half.
Villa's problems are not only defensive. They have also found it difficult to turn possession into sustained attacking pressure. The additions of Nicolas Jackson and Alejandro Garnacho have increased the individual quality available to Emery, but the attacking structure is still developing.
Tottenham Team News and Injuries
Tottenham continue to manage several important absences. Sandro Tonali missed Tuesday's Carabao Cup trip to Liverpool, while Pedro Porro also remained unavailable because of a muscular problem. Dejan Kulusevski is still out.
Mykhailo Mudryk is sidelined with an ankle injury. Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons have also been unavailable. There is better news concerning Destiny Udogie, who returned to availability after missing the Everton match.
James Maddison has also returned to the selection picture following his shoulder problem. Richarlison remains outside Tottenham's registered Premier League squad, so De Zerbi's attacking choices continue to centre around Dominic Solanke, Omar Marmoush, Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel and the available wide players.
Aston Villa Team News and Injuries
Villa's defensive injury situation has worsened. Ian Maatsen suffered an ankle injury against Nottingham Forest, and Emery indicated afterwards that the problem could keep him out for a significant period.
Pau Torres also left that match in the first half with a hamstring problem. Matty Cash had already missed both the Champions League win over Club Brugge and the Forest defeat because of muscular discomfort. His availability for Tottenham has not yet been confirmed.
Johan Manzambi has returned to the squad after his recent fitness concern, which gives Emery another midfield option. The defensive absences are particularly important because Tottenham will try to stretch Villa across the full width of the pitch.
Tactical Match Analysis
This matchup could be decided by which team handles transitions better. Tottenham want more control through possession. De Zerbi asks his centre-backs and midfielders to invite pressure before playing through it. That can create space higher up the pitch for Marmoush, Kudus or Solanke.
The problem has been what happens after that first phase. Spurs are reaching promising positions but have lacked movement, confidence and precision close to goal. Four league matches without scoring show that this is more than a finishing issue.
Villa may be comfortable allowing Tottenham to have the ball. Emery's teams are dangerous when they can defend compactly and then attack quickly through the spaces left behind advancing full-backs. That approach has worked repeatedly in this H2H.
Nicolas Jackson can stretch the defensive line, while Garnacho gives Villa pace from wider positions. John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara can also help turn recoveries into forward attacks quickly. Tottenham must therefore avoid forcing the game.
If both full-backs push high while the midfield loses possession, Villa can attack an exposed defensive line. There is also an opportunity for Spurs.
Villa's current full-back injuries could make defending wide areas more difficult. Kudus in particular can test defenders one-on-one and force Villa's midfield to provide additional cover.
The first goal would be significant. Tottenham's confidence has been damaged by their scoring drought. Villa have struggled when forced to chase games.
Key Players to Watch
Omar Marmoush
Marmoush has yet to score for Tottenham, but he has looked like one of their more direct attacking options. His movement across the front line could be useful against a Villa defence dealing with injuries.
Mohammed Kudus
Kudus gives Spurs something they badly need: the ability to beat a defender without relying on a passing combination. His direct running could be especially important if Villa defend with a compact central block.
Nicolas Jackson
Jackson offers Villa pace in behind and movement away from the centre-backs. Tottenham's high defensive positioning could create situations that suit him if Villa can play through the first press.
John McGinn
McGinn remains central to Villa's ability to compete physically in midfield. He can help protect against Tottenham's buildup, carry possession through pressure and support attacks from deeper positions.
What the Numbers Tell Us
Aston Villa have won seven of the last 10 competitive H2Hs.
Tottenham have won three, with no draws.
Villa lead 16-15 on goals across those meetings.
Villa have won four of their last five competitive visits to Tottenham.
Tottenham have two points from four Premier League matches.
Spurs have not scored a league goal this season.
Villa have one point from four league matches and have scored only once.
The numbers show why this fixture is difficult to assess purely through league position. Both teams are struggling. The difference is that Villa have a strong recent record in this specific matchup, while Tottenham currently possess the better defensive trend.
Who Has the Statistical Edge?
The available evidence does not establish a clear favourite. Tottenham have home advantage and have kept consecutive Premier League clean sheets. Villa have the stronger H2H record by a considerable margin.
Seven wins from the last 10 meetings and four victories from the last five trips to Tottenham show that Emery's side have repeatedly found solutions against Spurs. Current form weakens Villa's case.
They have one league point, only one goal, and are dealing with several defensive injuries. Tottenham's own inability to score prevents their home advantage from becoming decisive. A draw is therefore a very realistic outcome.
Interestingly, none of the last 10 H2Hs ended level. Current circumstances are different enough to make that historical trend less persuasive. On the available evidence, the fixture looks finely balanced rather than clearly favouring either side.
Conclusion
Tottenham vs Aston Villa brings together two teams urgently searching for their first Premier League victory of the season. Spurs have improved defensively but remain without a league goal. De Zerbi needs his attacking players to turn possession into clearer chances rather than simply controlling territory.
Villa's problems are different. They have shown in Europe that they can still produce strong attacking performances, but their domestic form is poor and injuries to Maatsen, Torres and potentially Cash weaken the defence.
Recent H2H history strongly favours Villa. Tottenham's home form in this matchup has been surprisingly poor, with four defeats in the last five visits from the Birmingham side. Current form provides no convincing favourite.
Tottenham have the home advantage and better recent defensive numbers. Villa have the stronger H2H and greater recent success in this fixture. Taken together, the evidence points toward a closely contested game in which a draw is a credible outcome.