Son Heung-min’s hat-trick kept Tottenham’s Premier League top-four destiny in their own hands as Spurs produced a masterclass in clinical finishing to thrash Aston Villa.
After the South Korea striker steered the visitors into an early lead, Spurs withstood a Villa onslaught to remain ahead at the interval with veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris making a string of superb saves.
But they cruised to victory with a breathtaking, counter-attacking second-half performance as Son swept home two more fine finishes, either side of an equally elegant strike from Dejan Kulusevski.
A fourth-successive win moved Antonio Conte’s side three points above north London rivals Arsenal – beaten at home by Brighton earlier on Saturday – in the race for the fourth Champions League spot.
Villa, meanwhile, were left to reflect on a fourth-straight defeat, despite dominating long spells of the first half, as returning striker Danny Ings wasted two glorious chances to bring them level.
More to follow.
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Aston Villa
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Squad number1Player nameMartínez
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Squad number2Player nameCash
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Squad number4Player nameKonsa
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Squad number5Player nameMings
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Squad number27Player nameDigne
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Squad number7Player nameMcGinn
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Squad number6Player nameDouglas Luiz
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Squad number23Player namePhilippe Coutinho
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Squad number41Player nameJ Ramsey
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Squad number20Player nameIngs
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Squad number11Player nameWatkins
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Squad number10Player nameBuendía
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Squad number18Player nameYoung
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Squad number31Player nameBailey
Tottenham Hotspur
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Squad number3Player nameReguilón -
Squad number23Player nameBergwijn
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Squad number27Player nameLucas Moura
Line-ups
Aston Villa
Formation 4-3-1-2
- 1Martínez
- 2Cash
- 4Konsa
- 5Mings
- 27DigneSubstituted forYoungat 80′minutesBooked at 82mins
- 7McGinn
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 23CoutinhoSubstituted forBuendíaat 70′minutes
- 41J Ramsey
- 20IngsBooked at 21minsSubstituted forBaileyat 70′minutes
- 11Watkins
Substitutes
- 8Sanson
- 10Buendía
- 15Traoré
- 16Chambers
- 18Young
- 19Nakamba
- 25Olsen
- 31Bailey
- 33Chukwuemeka
Tottenham
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Lloris
- 4Romero
- 15Dier
- 33Davies
- 12Emerson RoyalBooked at 74mins
- 30Bentancur
- 5HøjbjergBooked at 29mins
- 2DohertySubstituted forReguilónat 21′minutes
- 21KulusevskiSubstituted forBergwijnat 84′minutes
- 10KaneBooked at 90mins
- 7Son Heung-MinSubstituted forLucas Mouraat 78′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Reguilón
- 6D Sánchez
- 8Winks
- 14Rodon
- 19R Sessegnon
- 22Gollini
- 23Bergwijn
- 27Lucas Moura
- 42White
Live Text
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Match ends, Aston Villa 0, Tottenham Hotspur 4.
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Second Half ends, Aston Villa 0, Tottenham Hotspur 4.
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Offside, Aston Villa. Emiliano Buendía tries a through ball, but Ollie Watkins is caught offside.
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Attempt saved. Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Douglas Luiz with a cross.
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Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Cristian Romero.
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Attempt missed. Leon Bailey (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
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Leon Bailey (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Foul by Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa).
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Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Steven Bergwijn replaces Dejan Kulusevski.
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Ashley Young (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Ashley Young (Aston Villa).
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Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa).
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Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Aston Villa. Ashley Young replaces Lucas Digne because of an injury.
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Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Lucas Moura replaces Son Heung-Min.
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Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Sergio Reguilón tries a through ball, but Ben Davies is caught offside.
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