Aston Villa will look to bounce back from a frustrating midweek Europa League defeat as they welcome a desperate Tottenham Hotspur to Villa Park on Sunday. The 2pm ET kickoff promises high stakes for both sides, with Villa aiming to solidify their Champions League push and Spurs fighting for Premier League survival.
Villa enter the match on the back of a 1-0 first-leg semifinal loss to Nottingham Forest on Thursday, a result that left manager Unai Emery visibly frustrated with several VAR decisions. Despite that setback, Villa have found their rhythm in domestic play, sitting eight points clear of sixth-place Brighton in the race for a top-four finish. That cushion gives Emery the flexibility to experiment with his lineup as he prepares for the second leg in Europe.
For Tottenham, the situation is far more precarious. Roberto De Zerbi's side opens Week 35 in 18th place, just two points behind West Ham United and five adrift of Nottingham Forest. With relegation to the Championship looming—a first in the club's history—every point is critical. Spurs need a win to keep pressure on the teams above them and climb toward safety.
Here's everything you need to know for the match:
Match Details
- Kickoff: 2pm ET Sunday
- Venue: Villa Park, Aston
- TV Channel: USA
- Streaming: Watch on USA
Team News
Aston Villa: OUT — Boubacar Kamara (knee), Alysson (unspecified). QUESTIONABLE — Amadou Onana (knee).
Tottenham Hotspur: OUT — Xavi Simons (ACL), Cristian Romero (knee), Mohammed Kudus (groin), Wilson Odobert (knee), Dejan Kulusevski (knee), Ben Davies (ankle). QUESTIONABLE — Guglielmo Vicario (groin), Destiny Udogie (muscular), Pape Matar Sarr (shoulder), Dominic Solanke (thigh).
Spurs' lengthy injury list leaves them severely depleted, and Villa Park is a notoriously difficult venue even for full-strength sides. With both teams carrying fatigue and desperation, this match could tilt either way. A draw wouldn't lift Spurs out of the bottom three, but they might gladly take it. Prediction: Aston Villa 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur.