Ange Postecoglou identifies Aston Villa shortfall as Tottenham click into gear

Postecoglou believes Spurs’ superior work rate made the difference as Villa endured a second-half collapse at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Morgan Rogers’ tap-in - the only shot on target of the first period - edged the visitors in front but Tottenham reacted strongly with a clinical second-half display. Villa were stunned as Brennan Johnson’s equaliser, Dominic Solanke’s brace and a whipped free-kick from James Maddison claimed all three points for the hosts.

“They’re very consistent and rarely have off days,” Postecoglou said of Villa in the post-match press conference.

“I thought we had the match of them in the first half and had the draw on their energy, making them work really hard. With us, we have another two or three gears and we felt like we could break them open in the second half.

“We made sure we had intensity in the game. They have such a hard-working midfield with Onana, Tielemans, you’ve got McGinn in there, Rogers. They don’t really work with wide players so they work awfully hard in the midfield area. You have to match that and we were never going to open them up unless we did that.”

Villa, down to sixth place in the Premier League, have now conceded more than any other team in the top half. Their +2 goal difference is also the worst in the top eight but manager Unai Emery isn’t concerned at this stage.

“I am not really worried about it because it could happen and how the match was going and after how they were in the best position to play feeling comfortable,” Emery said. “Keeping balance is the first message I can send in the dressing room because it is 38 matches. We are analysing each match and setting objectives.”

Villa have two opportunities to bounce back in the next six days. A trip to Club Brugge awaits in the Champions League on Wednesday before Emery’s men travel to Liverpool on Saturday.