Aston Villa vs. Spurs
Venue: Villa Park
Kick off: 5pm
Tottenham Hotspur will look to bounce back from a disappointing start to March when they travel to basement side Aston Villa in the Premier League today.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side remain second in the Premier League table, but they are without a win in their last two in the league. Villa though have serious problems of their own, with a nine-point gap currently separating them from the safety of 17th position.
Villa supporters will be able to think of plenty of reasons and in truth, only a minor miracle will keep the club in the Premier League.
Just three wins from 29 matches has left Villa rooted to the bottom of the table on 16 points. They are eight points from 19th-place Newcastle United and nine from Sunderland in 17th. Nineteen losses have been suffered in the top flight this term and Villa’s points total after 29 games is the third lowest at this stage of any Premier League season.
It has been a very impressive season for Spurs thus far, but head coach Pochettino will be a little concerned about his team’s form and indeed performance levels in the last three matches. They deservedly lost 1-0 at West Ham United in the league at the start of the month, before drawing 2-2 with 10-man Arsenal in their last Premier League match on March 5.
If Spurs do pass up the chance to win the title this season, they might look back on too many draws. Fifteen league wins at this stage is impressive, but they have drawn 10 times, which is high for a team chasing the title. Spurs’ next three in the league are also very tasty indeed – Bournemouth at home, Liverpool away and Manchester United at home.
Spurs might have lost at West Ham in their last away match in the league, but they have won seven times on their travels this season and conceded just 12 times in 14 away games. What’s more, 55 points from 29 matches also represents Spurs’ highest-ever tally at this stage of a Premier League season and it is no surprise that Pochettino is a wanted man.
Villa possible starting lineup:
Guzan; Hutton, Richards, Lescott, Clark, Cissokho; Westwood, Gueye, Veretout; Ayew, Gestede
Tottenham possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Walker, Wimmer, Alderweireld, Davies; Dembele, Mason; Alli, Eriksen, Lamela; Kane