Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa: Prediction, Betting Tips and Match Preview

Before the season kicked off, both Tottenham and Aston Villa were tipped to challenge for a top-six finish. Instead, the two sides have unexpectedly sunk to the bottom of the Premier League table. While Unai Emery still enjoys a solid reserve of trust from the board, each fresh setback raises more uncomfortable questions for Roberto De Zerbi.

Tottenham: Stuck in Neutral

Six matches played, only one win – and that came against modest Charlton in the League Cup (5-1). Tottenham’s start to the season has been either dreary or downright laughable; indifference toward De Zerbi’s squad is no longer an option. Midweek brought a rare reason for cheer when Spurs finally found the net against a Premier League club. But that was where the positivity ended: Liverpool confidently took the ticket to the next round with a 3-1 victory. In the league, things are even worse: four games, a measly two points, a plunge to 17th place, and still no goals scored.

What’s truly alarming isn’t just the results themselves, but how predictable they’ve become. Tottenham look painfully flat and devoid of ideas. Across four Premier League matches, they have generated only 3.41 xG – the worst figure in the entire division. Defensively, they’re hardly impressive either, conceding an average of 1.66 xG per game. If there’s any silver lining to be found, it’s back in that recent clash with Liverpool. A mixed Spurs side created chances worth a decent 2.24 xG against Liverpool’s 1.85, but their finishing let them down. Could that be enough reason for De Zerbi to trust the fringe players?

Aston Villa: Magic on Sick Leave

Aston Villa, like Tottenham, have made a miserable impression when it comes to the Premier League. One point from four games, with a devastating goal difference of 1-7 – hardly what was expected from a team aiming for European football. However, unlike their opponents, Villa have shown occasional flashes of quality, especially away from home. In the Champions League, they battled past Club Brugge (3-2), and in a recent cup tie they comfortably beat Coventry (3-1).

The reason for their league struggles is obvious. Over the summer, Villa sold key players and have been frantically patching holes ever since. Even a magician like Emery needs time to turn a disjointed squad into something special. The injury list doesn’t help either. The match against Nottingham Forest (1-2) cost them two starting defenders – Maatsen and Torres. Add to that the crisis in midfield: Onana tore his cruciate ligament, and his replacement Goretzka managed to break down before even stepping onto the pitch.

Predicted Lineups: Tottenham vs Aston Villa

Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Kinsky – Gray, van Hecke, van de Ven, Robertson – Bentancur, Fernandes – Savinho, Gallagher, Marmoush – Solanke

Out: Odobert, Simons, Kulusevski, Mudryk (all injured), Richarlison (not in squad), Tonali, Porro (both doubtful)

Head Coach: Roberto De Zerbi

Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Suzuki – Wan-Bissaka, Lindelöf, Mings, Ruggeri – Kamara, João Gomes – McGinn, Buendía, Hemmings – Jackson

Out: Onana, Majo, Goretzka, Maatsen, Torres (all injured), Cash (doubtful)

Head Coach: Unai Emery

Referee: Samuel Barrott

By Premier League standards, Barrott is a typical mid-table official. Last season, he averaged 3.63 yellow cards per game with a modest 19.33 fouls called. Over 24 matches, he awarded seven penalties but sent off only one player. This season, he started with a contrast – first handing out six yellow cards, then none at all.

Prediction and Bet: Tottenham vs Aston Villa

Main prediction: It’s hard to pick a clear favourite in a battle between two sides that have frankly flopped at the start of the season. The chances are close to 50-50, yet the bookmakers are leaning much more heavily toward a Tottenham win on home soil. However, home advantage has long stopped being a safety net for Spurs: in the previous Premier League campaign, they won only three of 19 home games – worse only than Burnley (two). Head-to-head statistics also favour the visitors: Birmingham’s side have won four of the last five meetings. A bet on the away team not to lose at 1.85 looks safe, but there’s reason to take a risk and back a straight Aston Villa win at a solid 3.70.

Total goals prediction: One goal between them in eight Premier League matches is a pure anomaly for teams that usually rely on attacking firepower. Still, both sides are gradually picking up pace. Aston Villa have scored seven times in their last three games across all competitions. Tottenham’s numbers are more modest, but the ice is breaking: a goal against Liverpool and a quality creative performance in that match offer some optimism. Head-to-head encounters between these two traditionally produce high-scoring affairs: four of the last five ended with the same 2-1 scoreline. It makes sense to back over 2.5 goals at 1.87.