Villa win five-goal thriller at Spurs as Emery praises resilience
Aston Villa beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 away in the Premier League on 19 September 2026. BBC Sport
Five goals in north London. A lunchtime kick-off at 12:30pm. Three points heading back to Birmingham.
Manager Unai Emery praised his players' resilience after the final whistle. Resilience, in football terms, means holding your shape and your nerve when the game turns against you. Villa needed plenty of it to see out a one-goal win on the road.
Emery picked out two men in particular. Striker Nicolas Jackson led the line, the attacker tasked with scoring and stretching the defence. Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki stood firm at the other end, the last line of defence when Tottenham pushed.
Jackson's mention carries weight. He arrived as Villa's £65m record signing, according to BBC Sport's live coverage. BBC Sport Emery had taken him off at half-time during Villa's game against Nottingham Forest earlier in September. To start and impress away at Spurs just days later is a quick answer.
Suzuki's mention tells its own story. Keepers only get singled out after busy afternoons. Shots to stop. Crosses to claim. Moments where one slip changes everything. Emery's praise suggests Villa's new No. 1 delivered when it counted.
The result follows a stop-start opening to the season. Villa's first win of the 2026/27 campaign came in Europe, a 3-2 victory over Club Brugge in their opening UEFA Champions League match. Aston Villa FC That is the continent-wide competition for the best clubs from each domestic league.
Domestic form has been harder to find. Villa were held 0-0 by Hull City on 5 September. Aston Villa FC That goalless draw was Emery's 200th game in charge of the club. A clean sheet, but no breakthrough.
There is recent history between these sides too. Tottenham won 2-1 away at Villa last season, a result that lifted them above West Ham United and out of the Premier League relegation zone. Reuters That was a fight for survival. This was a different kind of test.
What makes this stand out is the manner of it. Winning 3-2 away is never comfortable. It asks your forward to finish and your keeper to stand tall. For the travelling supporters, that combination makes the long trip home feel a little shorter.
