Dominic Solanke scored twice as Tottenham blitzed Aston Villa in the second half on Sunday, winning 4-1 to move just two points behind their rivals for a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Shortly after the break, Brennan Johnson cancelled out Morgan Rogers’ first-half opener for Villa, before a cascade of home goals late in the game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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Solanke produced a delicate dinked finish to put Spurs ahead in the 75th minute and scored another from close range before James Maddison added gloss with a sumptious free kick deep into stoppage time.
The result lifts Ange Postecoglou’s men to seventh in the table on 16 points -- two behind Villa, who missed the chance to climb into third spot.
The Spurs boss, whose side lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace last week, said his men had shown they had “other gears” in the second half, praising Solanke for his performance.
“His goals are unbelievable but his general play, his work-rate, I can’t speak highly enough of him,” he told Sky Sports.
“Seven days is a long time in football. Seven days ago I was a grumpy old so and so. We have to say true to the course we’re on.
“We made sure not to feel sorry for ourselves and are back to the team we want to be.” Villa players wore training tops reading “Fuerza Valencia” during the warm-up, in solidarity with the victims of the deadly floods in Spain, the home country of Villa boss Unai Emery, who has managed Valencia.
- Son return -
Spurs had plenty of the ball early on but showed little penetration, despite the return of captain Son Heung-min from injury.
Rodrigo Bentancur’s shot from distance midway through the half landed on the roof of the net.
At the other end, Jacob Ramsey’s shot was deflected over the bar by Radu Dragusin before Amadou Onana headed against the post.
But seconds later Villa were ahead after Spurs failed to deal with Luca Digne’s corner, Rogers poking home in the 32nd minute after Guglielmo Vicario made an initial save.
It was the only shot on target either side mustered in the first half, continuing Spurs’ habit of conceding first and emphasising their problems dealing with set pieces.
Spurs could have been in deeper trouble had Ollie Watkins not skewed his shot wide shortly before half-time.
Postecoglou opted not to make changes at half-time and his side were level in the 49th minute when Johnson steered home Son’s inviting cross at the far post.
Minutes later Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez got a strong right hand to keep out Solanke’s close-range effort as Spurs found rhythm and intensity.
Villa captain John McGinn flashed just wide before Son was substituted -- much to his surprise -- as Postecoglou introduced Yves Bissouma and Richarlison.
The Korean was visibly stunned by the call from Postecoglou as his number was shown on the board, while he held his head in his hands when sitting down on the bench.
Some were shocked by the gamble for Postecoglou to take off his star man, but the Australian explained after the match that it was always in his plans to ease in the midfielder returning from injury.
“I didn’t need to discuss it with him. What’s more important is the overall picture,” Postecoglou said.
“He was never going to play more than that today because he had an injury.
“So he was never going to play more than sort of 55-60 minutes irrespective of how the game was going.”
The game became scrappy but Spurs seized the initiative when Dejan Kulusevski found Solanke, who finished cutely over the diving Martinez in the 75th minute.
Minutes later Villa lost the ball in midfield and Spurs broke at pace, with Pape Sarr feeding Richarlison, who crossed for Solanke to fire home.
Substitute Maddison made it 4-1 in the 96th minute, netting his 50th Premier League goal.
The defeat made it a miserable 53rd birthday for Emery, who had won on his past two visits to the stadium.
“When you are losing you have to try and get one step forward to try and change the result,” he said.
“But we know how difficult it is against Tottenham -- 4-1 is a tough result but the match we played was more or less in line with the expectation I had before the match.
“We are disappointed, frustrated but we are accepting it. We know our way, it is 38 matches, the league is very tight.”
MAN UTD HELD BY CHELSEA
Moises Caicedo’s strike denied Manchester United victory in their first Premier League game since sacking Erik ten Hag as Chelsea claimed a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
Interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, who will be replaced by Ruben Amorim later his month, sprinted down the touchline in celebration after Bruno Fernandes put United in front from the penalty spot 20 minutes from time.
Caicedo quickly replied for the Blues, who edge above Arsenal on goal different into fourth.
A point leaves United still down in 13th, six points off the top four. Amorim was not in attendance as he prepares to take charge of Sporting Lisbon for the one of the final times against Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday.
United were far more competitive than in 3-0 demolitions by Liverpool and Tottenham at home this season, but showed many of the same flaws that cost Ten Hag his job.
Van Nistelrooy enjoyed a 5-2 demolition of an under-strength Leicester in his first match in charge to reach the League Cup quarter-finals in midweek.
Still a hero among the United fans from his days as a prolific striker, the Dutchman’s name was chanted in a buoyant pre-match atmosphere.
However, a Chelsea side that have lost once in nine Premier League games, provided a much stiffer test for a United side still short on confidence.
Noni Madueke came closest to opening the scoring for Chelsea in the first-half when he headed Cole Palmer’s corner off the post.
It took United time to find their feet as an attacking force but they were unfortunate not to go in front just before half-time.
Marcus Rashford hit the crossbar with a cushioned volley in the last action of a disappointing first 45 minutes from both sides.
Pedro Neto’s burst of pace nearly gave Chelsea a dream start to the second period but the Portuguese winger’s shot flew just past the far post.
The Blues remain overly reliant on Palmer for inspiration.
The boyhood United fan, who began his career at Manchester City before joining Chelsea last year, was kept quiet by Van Nistelrooy’s pairing of Casemiro alongside Manuel Ugarte in midfield.
Before kick-off only Southampton had scored fewer than United’s eight Premier League goals in nine games this season.
The lack of efficiency in front of goal that Ten Hag often bemoaned was in evidence again.
Garnacho wasted a glorious chance to open the scoring from Fernandes’ cut-back with a tame effort that looped into the arms of Sanchez.
United were gifted the chance to break the deadlock when Robert Sanchez clipped Rasmus Hojlund inside the box.
Fernandes kept his cool to send the Spanish international goalkeeper the wrong way and spark wild celebrations from Van Nistelrooy.
United’s joy was short-lived as Chelsea hit back within four minutes. A corner was only cleared to the edge of the box, where Caicedo connected a sweet strike to fire into the bottom corner.
Chelsea should have struck again moments later when substitute Enzo Fernandez spooned over with Andre Onana stranded.
It was United who came closest in a frantic finale when Garnacho’s acrobatic effort flew just over.
In the other match played on Sunday, relegation threatened Wolves and Crystal Palace played out a 2-2 draw.
