Aston Villa 2-3 Tottenham Hotspur: 3 players who were impressive in the thrilling contest | Premier League 2019-20
After conceding early goals in both halves, Tottenham Hotspur came back strongly to claim all three points against Aston Villa at Villa Park. The 2-3 victory marked Spurs' third consecutive triumph in the Premier League.
Even though the game against Aston Villian was expected to be a difficult one for Jose Mourinho's side, the intensity of the match was something else! On a sunny Sunday afternoon, despite having better ball-possession, Dean Smith's men failed to come out with a positive result.
The Villans, who are currently 17th in the Premier League table with 25 points, could drop into the relegation zone if West Ham United manage to claim a positive result against Manchester City.
Spurs, on the other hand, are only a point and a place behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who have a game in hand. Having picked up 40 points from 26 matches, Tottenham are well and truly in the running for a top-four finish.
Both teams did well offensively on Sunday as the scoreline suggests. So, without any further ado, let us see who were impressive in this breathtaking contest.
#3 Toby Alderweireld
What a topsy-turvy match it was for the 30-year-old Belgian defender. The commencement of the first half was nothing less than a nightmare for Toby Alderweireld as he deflected a cross into his own goal to give Aston Villa a ninth-minute lead.
However, 18 minutes later, Alderweireld redeemed himself by equalising for Spurs from a tight angle following a corner. Not only did Alderweireld help Tottenham offensively, he also executed his defensive duties in a comprehensive manner.
During the course of the game, he registered two tackles, six clearances and blocked three shots. Therefore, he deserves some credit for turning things around after a sloppy start.
#2 Jack Grealish
Despite losing the game in the dying minutes, the man who immensely impressed for Aston Villa was their captain Jack Grealish. Although he failed to get his name on the scoresheet, Grealish's all-around performance was enough to prove his worth to The Villians.
Grealish made five key passes with an average of 76% passing accuracy. He also completed four out of nine attempted crosses.
Furthermore, Grealish was the assist provider for the Villans' second goal. In the 53rd-minute of the match, his lofted delivery from a corner was received by Bjorn Engels, who headed the ball into the net to make it 2-2.
While we don't know what lies ahead for the 24-year-old playmaker, Grealish needs to perform consistently if Aston Villa are to keep their Premier League status intact.
#1 Son Heung-min
Since Tottenham's star striker Harry Kane sustained a long-term injury, Spurs' goalscoring responsibilities have largely come upon Son Heung-min's shoulders. And Son has seemingly done enough to fill that void.
On Sunday, the Korean scored twice to save the north London outfit from dropping points. Just a few seconds before the half-time whistle, Son racked up his first to give Spurs a 2-1 lead. Although he was denied by Pepe Reina in his initial attempt from the spot, the 27-year-old got the job done on the rebound.
Then, just before the final whistle, the ball was unexpectedly given away to Son, who calmly placed it beyond the former Liverpool goalkeeper.
With these two goals, Son, who recorded six shots on target against Villa, has now found the back of the net nine times in the Premier League this season. Until Kane regains full fitness, Spurs fans could rely on Son for such spirited performances.
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