Tottenham 2-3 Aston Villa: Full-Time Player Ratings
The final whistle has gone at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Spurs suffering a 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Tottenham enjoyed the better of the first half and created several promising opportunities, but Savinho and Dominic Solanke were unable to make the most of their chances. Villa, meanwhile, were clinical when their opportunities arrived and took advantage of three openings.
Spurs showed plenty of fight late on, scoring their first two goals of the season through Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke. However, the comeback ultimately came too late as Villa held on for all three points.
Here are our Tottenham player ratings from the 3-2 defeat.
Antonin Kinsky – 6
Kinsky had little chance with Villa’s first and third goals, both of which were confidently finished. However, he will feel he should have done better for the second after failing to get a stronger hand to the effort. He also produced an excellent save to deny Jackson earlier in the match.
Pedro Porro – 7
Arguably Tottenham’s standout performer during his brief time on the pitch. Porro looked dangerous before being forced off with an injury after just 19 minutes, and Spurs certainly missed his presence.
Jan Paul van Hecke – 5
Van Hecke won a handful of aerial battles during the opening half but struggled badly in other areas. His duel-winning was poor, particularly further up the pitch, while he was beaten too easily when Villa players took him on. Overall, it was a disappointing display despite scoring Tottenham’s second goal.
Micky van de Ven – 5
Van de Ven had some positive moments during the first half, particularly when dealing with Jackson in the channels. However, his performance deteriorated after the break. He was far too easily beaten for Jackson’s goal after committing himself with a poor challenge.
Andy Robertson – 5.5
Robertson will face questions over his decision-making in the build-up to Villa’s goal, particularly regarding whether he should have allowed the ball to run out for a corner. He offered more going forward after the interval, providing width on the left and getting into useful positions, although his final delivery was inconsistent. He did, however, provide the assist for Van Hecke’s goal with a dangerous set-piece delivery.
Rodrigo Bentancur – 6
Bentancur quietly went about his work in the opening half, primarily recycling possession and keeping Tottenham moving through midfield. His role remained similar after the break, although he made several important interceptions to stop Villa attacks. There were questions over why more of Spurs’ midfielders weren’t matching his defensive effort.
Sandro Tonali – 6.5
Tonali showed his ability to carry the ball from deep and repeatedly drove Tottenham into Villa territory. He nearly created a goal for Solanke, while another long-range attempt narrowly missed the target. After half-time, he continued to provide creativity from deeper areas and played the pass that released Robertson for the disallowed goal.
Mateus Fernandes – 5
Fernandes made an excellent start, particularly while Porro was still on the pitch. His combinations with Savio caused Villa problems, with Savio frequently moving inside and looking to deliver crosses. However, his influence gradually faded and he was withdrawn at half-time.
Omar Marmoush – 4
Marmoush had a few half-chances during the first half and could have found himself through had his touch been better following Van Hecke’s pass. After the break, he struggled to make an impact, particularly after being moved into the central striker role.
Dominic Solanke – 4
A frustrating afternoon for Solanke, who failed to register a shot on target throughout the match. He worked hard in possession and regularly dropped deeper to combine with teammates, but Tottenham needed more of a threat from their striker when chasing the game. He was replaced by James Maddison after 65 minutes.
Savio – 5
Savio made an encouraging start and forced several saves from Suzuki from inside the penalty area, although he really should have found the net. He also tested the goalkeeper with a volley from the edge of the box. His influence dropped in the second half as Ruggeri became more effective at dealing with him. He was later moved to the left and managed to win several free-kicks.
Archie Gray – 4.5
Gray replaced the injured Porro and immediately brought energy to Tottenham’s attack. He linked up well with Savio and regularly pushed forward during the first half. His influence in the final third faded after the break, while Villa found too much space down Tottenham’s right side.
Mohammed Kudus – 6.5
Kudus was introduced as Tottenham looked for a way back into the game. He gradually became more influential and initially thought he had scored Spurs’ first goal of the season, only for the effort to be ruled out. He eventually played a key role in the actual opener, producing some excellent skill and trickery inside the box before creating the chance for Gallagher.
James Maddison – 6
Maddison replaced Solanke and attempted to find runners with balls over the top. He looked capable of offering more creativity and arguably needs to be starting matches to have a greater influence. However, he should have closed Buendia down quicker for Villa’s third goal and potentially done more to prevent the shot.
Conor Gallagher – 6.5
Gallagher came on for Tonali and made an immediate impact, scoring Tottenham’s first goal of the season with his very first touch.
Lucas Bergvall
Bergvall was introduced as Tottenham pushed for a way back into the match, but there was not enough time for him to make a significant impact.