Aston Villa

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

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To anyone who feels there is not as much joy in football as there could be, the sight of Unai Emery bouncing around his technical area as Emi Buendia's shot hit the net at Tottenham on Sunday came as a welcome antidote.

For a moment it seemed like he might break into a full David Pleat celebration, but it was a goal and a result worth getting excited about.

Buendia, understandably, also looked like a man with a song in his heart after scoring a goal of master craftsmanship, both in the build-up and finish. Now with three in four games, his Villa career is fully rehabilitated, a little over two years after the serious knee injury that seemed to have cut it short.

"He is very competitive and when being competitive is showing positive energy like today, wow," said Emery. (One endearing motif in Emery's interviews is the way he whispers "wow" when he is especially impressed by something, as if he is trying to let you in on a secret.)

"Last year was very difficult for him," the Villa boss added. "He struggled after his injury. He was slowly getting fit. He needed time - he needed one year, with us, then on loan.

"This pre-season he started fantastic, and he worked fantastic. He deserved to be here with us, and his start in Europe has been very important for us and for him."

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A squad that seemed jaded and sullen only a few weeks ago now looks to be bursting with the positive energy Emery seeks, as they hop back over to the Netherlands.

That was certainly the tone of the celebrations in north London, with Matty Cash prominent. He was entitled to that after the delicious volleyed pass that set the second goal in motion, but Cash always carries himself like a man who never forgets just how thrilling it is to be a professional footballer at all. He has been at the club long enough to experience all its moods, giving him a healthy perspective.

"Obviously a great connection [with the fans]," he said of the celebrations. "I try to give my best every week for the club. Sometimes they like me, sometimes they don't - it's part of football.

"As a player, you just have to try to work hard, and it's a real honour to play for such a big club. Hopefully I can stay here for many more years to come. I just try to build relationships, do my best, and hopefully the fans can appreciate it."

They did on Sunday.

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David Michael
Fan writer

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After five straight wins, the damning knee-jerk reaction to Aston Villa's sluggish start from some quarters now seems to be in the rearview mirror.

Speaking to those close to Unai Emery's management team, they were disappointed by the exaggerated response - heightened by social media engagement-seeking - and unimpressed by some of the inherent scapegoating.

The number one scapegoat in recent seasons has arguably been Matty Cash, with many Villa fans crying out for a right-back alternative across multiple transfer windows.

Yet this season, the Poland international is arguably enjoying his most consistent form in a Villa shirt, with the added bonus of headline-grabbing goals for both club and country.

As for Morgan Rogers, the 23-year-old is still very much on the learning curve. After a sloppy start to the season, there was a necessity for him to match his England international status and take up the responsibility of becoming one of Villa's big-hitters.

His well-taken equaliser against Tottenham was certainly a step in the right direction.

In the case of Emi Buendia, he was less a scapegoat and more a player considered to be done at Villa. Following a long-term injury in 2023 and loan spells away, he faced the challenge of catching up to the new level Villa had reached in his absence.

PSR restrictions have probably been a blessing for Buendia as they prompted Emery to reconsider his future at the club. From pre-season onwards, the Argentina midfielder's mentality has been first rate and by adding regular goals to his game, he has made himself a valuable matchday squad option for Emery.

Being in the Champions League last season seemed to signal to some players that they had made it when, in truth, the hard work of staying at the top table had only just begun.

Those whose mentality was not up to the task have since been moved on.

Meanwhile, the likes of Cash, Rogers, and Buendia are now, promisingly, starting to rise to the challenge.

Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external

Aston Villa are closely monitoring Real Sociedad and Japan winger Takefusa Kubo, 24, who has decided he wants to leave La Liga in January. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column.

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League match between Tottenham and Aston Villa.

Here are some of your comments:

Spurs fans

Ralph: Spurs played great football across the backline from one side to the other, but they were too slow in attack and had no idea in front of goal. Villa were more positive and deserved to win.

Roger: With the exception of Mohammed Kudus, the quality and technique of our attacking players and strikers is nowhere near good enough for the Premier League. Our back six have more composure in front of goal. Even when we eventually get Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison back, it's likely to be a long time, if at all, before they hit top form.

Frank: So weak in front of goal. Plenty of chances missed by 'forwards' - not a clinical finisher in sight. At this rate they'll be lucky to end the season mid-table.

Villa fans

Cassie: Now, that was a great game. Villa played the way we knew they could. They didn't buckle after going 1-0 down, and Morgan Rogers took his chance and scored a beauty. It was a physical game, but we gave as good as we got. Onwards and upwards - well done, Villa.

Prit: We rode our luck at times but Villa definitely deserved this through true endeavour. If this match was six weeks ago, heads would have dropped after going a goal down, but not this time.

Steve: Starting to look like the top six club we had become over the past two seasons again! Finally playing with good confidence and following the gameplan. Great goals as well from two very talented players in Rogers and Emi Buendia. On the up again. UTV!

Jess Anderson
BBC Sport journalist

This time last year, Emiliano Buendia was struggling for opportunities in an Aston Villa shirt and facing the prospect of a January move just to get minutes.

Having joined Villa in 2021 on a five-year deal for a then club record £33m, he played a crucial part in the following two seasons, featuring in all but three of their 76 league matches.

But sustaining an ACL injury in Villa's 2023 pre-season ultimately meant he missed the whole of the 2023-24 campaign.

Last term, all 12 of his league appearances came as a substitute.

Buendia signed a new deal with Villa in January but was immediately sent to Bayer Leverkusen on loan for the remainder of the season.

He scored twice in 14 appearances for the German club, with Villa open to letting him leave over the summer.

But the 28-year-old midfielder is firmly back among manager Unai Emery's good graces this season, having scored three goals and provided one assist in his past four appearances.

The latest, a sublime finish when the substitute cut in to fire into the bottom corner after a sensational pass from Matty Cash, proved to be the winner in a 2-1 Premier League victory over Tottenham on Sunday.

Match of the Day pundit and former Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given described it as "world class" and an early goal of the season contender.

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After Aston Villa's victory at Tottenham on Sunday, defender Matty Cash was seen leading the celebrations with the travelling supporters.

He spoke to BBC Radio WM after the match about his connection with the fans: "I try to give my best every week, sometimes they like me and sometimes they don't - that's part of football.

"It's a real honour to play for such a big club. Hopefully I can stay here for many more years to come.

"I just try to build relationships, do my best and hopefully the fans can appreciate it. My job is just to focus on the pitch."

Hear more from Cash on BBC Sounds

Pundits Shay Given and Troy Deeney join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa

• Liverpool 1-2 Man Utd

Getafe midfielder Luis Milla, 31, has caught the eye of Aston Villa manager Unai Emery this season. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Villa and Newcastle have emerged as favourites to sign 21-year-old Ecuadorian defender Joel Ordonez from Club Brugge. (Caught Offside), external

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Michael Emons
BBC Sport journalist

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Before Sunday's match, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery admitted Morgan Rogers had not been "performing very well, not confident" at the start of the campaign, but said he was "getting better and feeling confident".

But the 23-year-old is now showing his best form for club and country with his first club goal of the season coming 10 days after his opening goal for the Three Lions.

Rogers, who can perform in a variety of attacking positions, has established himself as a vital part of the England team and featured in all eight of their matches since Thomas Tuchel took over.

And Villa are getting the benefit too as Rogers now has one goal and two assists from his past three club games, having failed to score or register an assist in each of his side's opening five Premier League matches.

His goal against Tottenham was superb as, despite four home players being in close attendance, he managed to fire a sublime, looping 20-yard strike over home goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario that then dipped under the crossbar.

Both sides will feel they deserved something but a glorious second for Villa, which included a wonderful cross-field pass from Matty Cash, Lucas Digne controlling it and an excellent strike from Emiliano Buendia, proved the difference.

Rogers faces plenty of competition for an England attacking midfield role - and a place in next summer's World Cup squad - and his recent resurgence will be good news not only for Emery, but Tuchel too.

Listen to Matty Cash's post-match interview with BBC Radio WM here

Unai Emery spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Aston Villa's victory against Tottenham: "Firstly our supporters were here and they were helping and of course we were playing for them. The way the players responded, even when we were losing 1-0. This is the way we are trying to get better at and try to build the team with this structure.

"It was a very difficult match of course, and in the end we won.

"It's a match, it's competition. Today starting after the break and following the same more or less positivity and progression we've shown, winning is very important. And of course Tottenham are playing well and performing well, to win here is important for us and the supporters. But of course next week is Manchester City and there is Europa League. Most importantly we are recovering some players. The dressing room is different now.

"Substitutes are very important. Now we need to recovers some injured players. We are.

"Hopefully players will come back and will try and help us with their qualities."

Goalscorer Emi Buendia also spoke to MOTD after Sunday's victory: "A Really important win to come here it is a difficult place to come and also starting the game conceding one goal but the team showed good character to come back and we got an incredible win."

On if his team has clicked this season: Yes of course. We had a bad start, we couldn't feel comfortable to compete at what this competition deserved and after the break we showed different qualities of the team.

"I think we have a really good squad and food players taht didn't play today, they have good qualities."

Did you know?

In his 160 Premier League games as a manager, Aston Villa's Unai Emery has seen his sides both score and concede in 101 of them, a ratio of 63%. This is the highest proportion of the 80 managers to take charge of 100+ Premier League matches.

Listen to Emery's chat with BBC radio WM here

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Spurs' performance

What did you make of Villa's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Thomas Frank makes one change to the Tottenham side that began the 2-1 win at Leeds as Djed Spence replaces Destiny Udogie at full-back.

France forward Randal Kolo Muani is among the substitutes and could make his Premier League debut following his season-long loan move from Paris St-Germain as he has recovered from an injury that has restricted him to one Champions League appearance this season.

Tottenham XI: Vicario, Spence, Romero, Van de Ven, Porro, Bentancur, Palhinha, Odobert, Simons, Kudus, Tel.

Subs: Kinsky, Gray, Danso, Matar Sarr, Byfield, Bergvall, Johnson, Kolo Muani, Richarlison.

Two changes for Aston Villa from the side that beat Burnley 2-1 on 5 October.

Ollie Watkins, who picked up an injury while on international duty with England, is among the substitutes, while Lamare Bogarde also drops out. In come Evann Guessand and Amadou Onana, while Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott are among Villa's other options on the bench.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Digne, Torres, Konsa, Cash, Onana, Kamara, McGinn, Rogers, Guessand, Malen.

Subs: Bizot, Lindelof, Maatsen, Barkley, Bogarde, Buendia, Elliott, Sancho, Watkins.

There are two games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Tottenham v Aston Villa (14:00) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

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After a slow start to the season, Aston Villa are on a good run of results with four straight wins now.

I am still not convinced by their performances, though, and this will be a good test of where Unai Emery's side are really at and whether they have actually turned a corner or not.

I don't watch Tottenham and feel like they will score a barrel-load of goals, but they have got a good balance to their team and I am backing them to find a way to win this.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Noel Sliney
BBC Sport senior journalist

Thomas Frank seeks his first win against Unai Emery at the sixth attempt when their in-form sides meet on Sunday. BBC Sport examines some of the key themes going into that match.

Pragmatism is bringing points for Spurs, at an average of two per game so far under Frank. Their tally of 14 points from seven matches is as many as they managed in the last 19 league fixtures of Ange Postecoglou's reign.

A more compact Spurs look defensively sound, with only Arsenal conceding fewer top-flight goals this season. The next step for Frank is to improve his side's attacking cohesion.

Tottenham have been clinical in the league this season – scoring five more goals than expected given the quality of chances they have had, and boasting a shot conversion rate only bettered by Manchester City. However, only one in every 13 of their passages of play - 7.8% - has ended in an attempt on goal. Only five teams have a lower percentage, while it is Tottenham's lowest figure for six seasons.

A long-term injury to Dominic Solanke has robbed Spurs of a focal point at the apex of their attack; he would be a natural fit for their more direct style under Frank.

Xavi Simons added some ingenuity in the number 10 role away to Leeds before the international break, but it was Mohammed Kudus who again stood out. The £55m summer signing scored his first goal for the club and, as so often this season, provided the bulk of their attacking threat. He has made the most successful dribbles in the division, provided a joint-high four assists and ranks in the top five for most chances created and most instances of carrying the ball at least five metres upfield.

Sunday's match against Aston Villa is the start of a tough-looking run of fixtures for Spurs. They next travel to Everton, who are unbeaten at home, before successive games against Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal.

Villa have responded to their longest winless start to a season since 1964 with four straight victories – a current run only matched by Arsenal among Premier League teams.

Like Spurs, Villa are showing signs of finding a better balance in attack, albeit they have faced obliging opponents of late. Their growing confidence will be put to the test over the coming weeks, with three successive Premier League fixtures against Champions League sides. After Spurs, they host Manchester City and then face Liverpool at Anfield.

Emery will be aware of the need for improvement against the top teams – Villa only earned one point from their six away league fixtures last season against current Champions League sides.