Tottenham Hotspur suffered another disappointing Premier League defeat as Aston Villa secured a 3-2 victory on Matchday 5, leaving Spurs 18th in the Premier League table ahead of the first international break.
Despite dominating possession, Tottenham struggled to turn their control into meaningful attacking output. Spurs had 63% possession, 18 shots and eight on target, compared to Villa's 37% possession, 14 shots and six efforts on target. However, Aston Villa were considerably more clinical when their opportunities arrived.
Here are the player ratings from the game.
Tottenham Player Ratings vs Aston Villa
Antonín Kinský — 4/10
An absolutely dreadful performance from the Tottenham goalkeeper. Kinský failed to provide the confidence his defence needed as Villa repeatedly exposed Spurs' backline. Conceding three goals summed up a difficult evening between the posts.
Pedro Porro — N/A
Porro was forced off early because of an injury, meaning he had little opportunity to influence the contest.
Jan van Hecke — 4/10
Van Hecke endured an abysmal evening despite scoring Tottenham's second goal deep into stoppage time. His defensive performance was poor, particularly when dealing with Nicolas Jackson, and the late goal did little to disguise his overall struggles.
Micky van de Ven — 4/10
Another poor performance from the Tottenham centre-back. Van de Ven struggled badly against Jackson's pace, movement and physicality, with the Villa striker repeatedly getting the better of him.
Andy Robertson — 5/10
Robertson found himself in some promising attacking positions and attempted to provide width, but his timing was repeatedly poor. He was caught offside multiple times, ultimately limiting his contribution.
Rodrigo Bentancur — 4/10
A frustrating and largely average display from Bentancur. He struggled to impose himself on the midfield despite Tottenham controlling possession for long periods.
Sandro Tonali — 5/10
Tonali showed flashes of quality, producing some flashy passes and taking a few shots, but he never truly took control of the game. There were moments of promise without enough consistent influence.
Sávio — 4/10
Sávio tried to make things happen and showed occasional flashes of creativity, but ultimately lacked the end product needed to hurt Villa consistently.
Mateus Fernandes — 3/10
An anonymous figure for much of the match. Fernandes struggled to make a meaningful contribution as Tottenham's midfield and attack failed to consistently connect.
Omar Marmoush — 3/10
Another underwhelming performance from Marmoush. The forward failed to provide the attacking spark Tottenham desperately needed and endured a frustrating afternoon.
Dominic Solanke — 3/10
Solanke struggled to make an impact and did little of note to help Tottenham break down a Villa defence that was comfortable for large periods.
Tottenham Substitutes
Conor Gallagher — 5/10
Gallagher brought much-needed energy after coming on and scored Tottenham's first goal in the 86th minute. His introduction gave Spurs some momentum, although it ultimately came too late.
James Maddison — 4/10
Maddison failed to make a noticeable impact after coming on.
Archie Gray — 4/10
A strictly decent outing from Gray. He did not make any major mistakes but also failed to significantly alter the game.
Lucas Bergvall — 3/10
Bergvall arrived too late to have a meaningful influence on Tottenham's attempted comeback.
Mohammed Kudus — 6/10
Tottenham's best player despite only entering the game in the second half. Kudus immediately looked more dangerous and direct than most of Spurs' starting attackers. The fact that he was their standout performer after coming on says plenty about Tottenham's overall attacking display.
Aston Villa Player Ratings vs Tottenham
Zion Suzuki — 8/10
Absolutely phenomenal despite conceding twice. Suzuki produced an impressive goalkeeping display and looked composed throughout. He already appears to be a potential star in the making.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka — 4/10
A strictly average performance. Wan-Bissaka did his basic defensive work but offered little that stood out during Villa's victory.
Victor Lindelöf — 6/10
A decent, if unspectacular, performance from Lindelöf. He provided stability at the back and generally dealt with Tottenham's attacking threat effectively.
Tyrone Mings — 7/10
Villa's best defender on the night. Mings was strong throughout the game and helped keep Tottenham's forwards quiet for long periods, although Villa's late defensive concentration became an issue.
Matteo Ruggeri — 7/10
Brilliant defensively and also showed promise going forward. Ruggeri provided Villa with a reliable presence on the left and contributed well to their overall defensive structure.
João Gomes — 7/10
A solid display from Gomes, particularly with his defensive contributions. He helped Villa cope with Tottenham's heavy possession and worked tirelessly in midfield.
Boubacar Kamara — 7/10
Kamara delivered a strong midfield performance and assisted Jobe Manzambi's opening goal. His defensive work helped Villa remain compact and dangerous on the counter.
John McGinn — 6/10
A mature performance from the Villa captain. McGinn provided experience and composure as Villa negotiated long periods without the ball.
Emiliano Buendía — 8/10
Outstanding. Buendía constantly caused problems for Tottenham's defence and capped his performance with Villa's third goal in the 79th minute.
Johan Manzambii — 8/10
What a way to start your first Premier League game. Manzambi scored in the 49th minute and produced a brilliant performance, showing plenty of confidence and attacking quality.
Nicolas Jackson — 9/10
Man of the Match. Jackson looks reborn under Unai Emery and absolutely destroys Van de Ven and Van Hecke throughout the contest. His movement, physicality and finishing repeatedly exposed Tottenham's defensive weaknesses. He scored Villa's second goal in the 67th minute and was comfortably their biggest attacking threat.
Aston Villa Substitutes
Matty Cash — 4/10
An average substitute appearance, although Cash was involved in the build-up to Tottenham's first goal.
Ross Barkley — 4/10
A decent but unspectacular cameo as Villa attempted to see out the victory.
Tammy Abraham — N/A
Did not have enough time to make a meaningful impact.
Ibrahim Mbaye — N/A
Another late substitute who had little opportunity to influence the game.
George Hemmings — 5/10
An impressive cameo, helping Villa maintain their advantage during the closing stages.
Final Verdict
Aston Villa deserved their 3-2 victory, with Jackson, Buendía and Manzambi providing the decisive attacking quality. Tottenham had more possession, more passes and more shots, but Villa were far more effective where it mattered.
For Spurs, the result is particularly concerning because they now head into the first international break sitting 18th in the Premier League. Their inability to convert possession into goals, combined with serious defensive issues, leaves plenty for the coaching staff to address before domestic football resumes.