LONDON – Aston Villa finally breathed a sigh of relief as they claimed their first Premier League win of the season with a 3-2 victory at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, while Spurs’ season lurched deeper into trouble after another demoralising defeat.
Villa’s breakthrough came in first-half stoppage time when £50-million summer signing Johan Manzambi marked his first start for the club with the opening goal, while Nicolas Jackson and Emi Buendia sent Spurs fans streaming to the exits with second-half strikes.
The 20-year-old Manzambi pounced from close range after Tottenham lost possession inside their own penalty area, punishing a defensive lapse with Spurs defender Micky van de Ven temporarily off the pitch receiving treatment for a gash under his eye.
Jackson doubled Villa’s advantage in the 67th minute, finishing clinically to put the visitors firmly in control and Buendia struck 11 minutes from time with a rocket to the top corner from 22 yards out to complete a shambolic afternoon for the home side.
Conor Gallagher scored Spurs’ first goal of the campaign late on, and Jan Paul van Hecke added another deep in injury time, but they offered scant consolation.
To compound Spurs’ misery, Mohammed Kudus had slotted home early in the second half, only for the effort to be ruled out after Andy Robertson was caught offside in the buildup.
Villa climbed to 15th in the table on four points from five games, while Tottenham remained in the relegation zone on two points after another damaging defeat.
