Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa

Aston Villa produced a superb performance full of quality and spirit to come from behind and triumph 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur.  

Dean Smith’s energetic and determined side were relentless as they hounded the hosts at every opportunity, created a plethora of chances in the final third and defended with pride when required to claim all three points in north London.

Steven Bergwijn drilled the hosts into an eighth-minute lead before Sergio Reguilon’s own goal levelled matters midway through the first half.

It was left for Ollie Watkins to turn the game around and fire home the winner shortly before the interval, registering his 14^th Premier League goal of a memorable maiden season.

Victory, in what was the club’s final away match of the season in front of 10,000 supporters at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, moves Villa on to 52 points.

It also ends a dismal recent record against Spurs which had previously seen Villa lose 12 of the last 13 meetings and claim just one win stretching back to 2009.

The Villans, who handed late first-team debuts to talented teenagers Carney Chukwuemeka - who hit a post in injury time - and Jaden Philogene-Bidace, will now be looking to to finish the campaign on another high note against Chelsea at Villa Park on Sunday.

Fit-again talisman Jack Grealish was named in Villa’s starting line-up for the first time since mid-Feburary having appeared off the bench as a substitute in the club’s last two matches.

Grealish returned alongside influential defender Tyrone Mings, who missed last weekend’s defeat at Crystal Palace due to injury, and midfielder Marvelous Nakamba as Smith made three changes to his XI.

But it was the hosts who took the lead after eight minutes when Bergwijn won possession 30 yards from goal, rode a couple of challenges and blasted high into the net past a helpless Emi Martinez from just inside the penalty area.

Villa saw loud penalty appeals waved away shortly afterwards following Hugo Lloris’ clumsy challenge on Ollie Watkins.

But the visitors were level in the 20^th minute after Reguilon sliced Nakamba’s cross into his own net from 15 yards.

Smith’s side pushed for a quickfire second and Watkins saw his strike well blocked by Eric Dier, before Lloris saved from Grealish and the industrious John McGinn then fired over from distance.

Ezri Konsa headed over when unmarked at the far post in the 38^th minute but Villa took the lead from the resulting goal kick; closing down the hosts as they looked to play out from the back, Bertrand Traore’s block fell into the path of Watkins, who nodded the ball down and finished past Lloris.

Villa were dispossessing Spurs all over the pitch and the lively McGinn twice won the ball in good areas just before the break, Anwar El Ghazi firing over and Watkins denied by Lloris, as the visitors deservedly led at the interval.

Martinez twice saved well from Bergwijn shortly after the restart before Traore sent as left-footed strike narrowly wide just after the hour mark following another surging run from McGinn.

Alongside the tireless Watkins, Traore was proving a constant menace to the Spurs defence and saw another effort well blocked as the game continued to be an open affair.

Smith turned to Douglas Luiz off the bench in the 72^nd minute, replacing the creative Grealish as he continued to step up his game time upon his return.

Martinez had to be alert to parry from Harry Kane in the 75^th minute as Villa stood firm in the latter stages.

And there were proud moments for Chukwuemeka and Philogene-Bidace late on as they were handed their senior bows, the former striking a post from the edge of the area, as Villa enjoyed a memorable victory in the capital.