Aston Villa saw their Champions League hopes seriously dented after Tottenham Hotspur produced an electric second-half display at Villa Park.
Four unanswered goals saw Ange Postecoglou’s side heap pressure on Unai Emery’s men in the race for fourth spot.
It was a Sunday to forget for the Villans, who saw John McGinn sent off for a rash tackle on Destiny Udogie midway through the second period.
The result moves Spurs two points behind Villa having played one game fewer.
Despite the result, Alan Shearer picked out a positive from the hosts on Sunday.
Alan Shearer blown away by ‘superb’ Aston Villa first half v Tottenham
Talking on the Rest is Football Podcast, the former Newcastle United striker was impressed by the energy shown by Emery’s side in the early stages of the game.
“They [Tottenham] were electric. They were unbelievable and punished them,” he said.
“In the first half, I thought both teams went at each other. The energy from both of them was superb. But Tottenham just blew them away in the second half. They were incredible.”
Bad day at the office for Aston Villa
Sunday’s loss needs to be forgotten about fairly quickly.
It was a tired and undisciplined performance from the hosts, something we haven’t seen from Emery’s side this season.
Perhaps the midweek fixture in Amsterdam took its toll. It was a high-octane affair that could have impacted energy levels heading into the weekend.
The Villa boss must ensure he keeps players fresh for the upcoming fixtures. Thursday-Saturday fixtures will likely be the norm if they progress further in the Conference League.
A delicate balancing act is undoubtedly in store for the Spaniard. However, his impressive European pedigree demonstrates he is more than capable of navigating this tricky period.
