Aston Villa secured their first Premier League win of the season, deepening the pressure on Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi after a 3-2 victory.
Key facts
- •Johan Manzambi scored the opening goal in first-half stoppage time while Micky van de Ven was off the pitch receiving treatment.
- •Emi Buendia extended Villa's lead to 3-0 with a 25-yard strike in the 79th minute.
- •Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke scored late goals for Tottenham in the 87th and final minutes.
- •Tottenham has now failed to win any of their last 36 Premier League matches when conceding the first goal.
- •This is the first time since 1986 that Tottenham has gone five league games without a win at the start of a season.
Aston Villa defeated Tottenham 3-2 on Saturday, marking Villa's first Premier League win of the season. Tottenham, currently winless, suffered their worst start to a top-flight campaign since 2008-09. The match saw Villa take the lead in first-half stoppage time through Johan Manzambi, followed by second-half goals from Nicolas Jackson and Emi Buendia, before Tottenham responded with late efforts from Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke.
By the numbers
Match Developments and Tactical Challenges
Tottenham dominated the opening 20 minutes, with Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki denying attempts from Savio and Archie Gray. The momentum shifted when Tottenham captain Micky van de Ven left the pitch for treatment following a facial injury. While he was off the field, Johan Manzambi scored the opening goal from a Boubacar Kamara cross. Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi expressed frustration with his team's inability to defend while playing with 10 men and noted that his side struggled to maintain a compact defensive structure.
Managerial Pressure and Historical Context
The defeat leaves Tottenham with two points from their first five league games, a start not seen at the club since the 2008-09 season. During that campaign, manager Juande Ramos was dismissed after three additional losses. Following the 3-2 result, some Tottenham fans left the stadium early, and traveling Villa supporters chanted for De Zerbi’s dismissal. De Zerbi accepted responsibility for the performance, citing a lack of leadership and communication during critical moments of the match.
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