At a glance:
- Tottenham will face Aston Villa on Sunday
- Villa lost 1-0 against Nottingham Forest on Thursday
- They could rest players in Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur are in the Premier League relegation zone with just four games remaining and need all the help they can gather.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side will next face Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday. Having recorded their first league win in 2026 against Wolves last week, Spurs will be a bit buoyant.
However, they also lost Xavi Simons and Dominic Solanke due to injuries.
Spurs ideally need two wins and one draw in their remaining games. They would hope that at least one of those positive results can come against Villa.
Aston Villa’s European run a big boost for Tottenham
Aston Villa faced Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday.
In a nervy game, the hosts secured a 1-0 advantage in the tie. Lucas Digne was deemed to have handled the ball, and Chris Wood converted the resulting penalty in the 71st minute.
Now, Aston Villa will hope to overturn this deficit in the second leg at Villa Park next Thursday, May 7. Moreover, having lost the first leg, one could expect Unai Emery to rest some key players against Tottenham.
Villa are fifth in the Premier League standings, eight points above Brighton & Hove Albion. They also have a clash against Burnley on May 10. Hence, they are likely to qualify for the UEFA Champions League by finishing in the Premier League top five.
Also Read: Tottenham predicted lineup vs Aston Villa as De Zerbi chooses Xavi Simons replacement
Hence, the Villans can afford to rest key players against Spurs in search of a major European trophy. This would come as a big boost for Tottenham, who are missing numerous players due to injuries.
They have just three fit senior attackers in Richarlison, Mathys Tel, and Randal Kolo Muani.
Amadou Onana went off injured against Nottingham
In what could be another positive for Tottenham, Amadou Onana went off injured in the 55th minute against Nottingham Forest on Thursday.
He appeared to have some issue with his calf. After the game, Unai Emery provided an update on him, saying (h/t Hayters TV):
“In the first half, he was telling us he was feeling something in his calf, but in another leg. I don’t know how he’s going to recover. Hopefully, in a few days, he can recover. But of course, we must be careful with him as well.”
Even if he is fit enough, Villa are unlikely to risk him against Tottenham. The 24-year-old midfielder has been a key player for Aston Villa, and hence, Spurs would be helped by his absence.
Also Read: ‘Special’ Tottenham youngster promoted to first-team ahead of crucial Aston Villa clash
Moreover, Forest face Chelsea on Monday in the Premier League, and fatigue could play a role in that game.
Vitor Pereira’s side are still not mathematically safe, and with one eye on Europe, they could rest players against the boost and potentially drop points.
