'Nowhere near...' - Ex-Liverpool star identifies key reason for Aston Villa's defeat to Spurs

Stephen Warnock believes the decision to play a weakened team in the Carabao Cup against Crystal Palace might have been a contributing factor in Aston Villa's defeat to Spurs.

The Villains suffered back-to-back defeats as Spurs ran out 4-1 winners on Sunday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Morgan Rogers gave the visitors the lead but early in the second-half Brennan Johnson equalised, and then came a brace from Dominic Solanke before James Maddison rounded off a difficult afternoon for those associated to the Claret and Blue.

Both teams were in Carabao Cup action in midweek, with Spurs claiming an impressive win over Manchester City, whilst Villa lost at home to Palace. Unai Emery made wholesale changes in the defeat to the Eagles, but stood by his team selection, as he afforded the likes of Boubacar Kamara and Tyrone Mings some first-team minutes after a lengthy lay-off.

John McGinn was the only survivor from the defeat to Palace, and Warnock who made over 550 appearances in a 16-year playing career, believes Spurs may have had the edge over Villa. He suggested that they were carrying momentum on from their win against City, and despite most of the Villa squad not playing in midweek, it was the hosts who were best equipped for the match.

“You can say it was good management from Ange Postecoglou but Villa were nowhere near the races,” said Warnock on Sky Sports’ Football Show.

“What was very interesting was Villa changed nine of the team against Palace, and they didn’t get a result in the Carabao Cup. Whereas Spurs changed five or six of the players, but there seemed like a real energy in the second half.

“Villa looked shattered in the second half, they looked really tired. Sometimes that adrenaline from a midweek victory can carry you on again.”

It's a short turnaround until Villa's next figure as they face Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday (November 6). Warnock, who played 101 games for the club between 2009 and 2013, suggested that the Champions League may have been the priority for Villa, and that keeping the club competitive across various competitions is an arduous task.

The former Liverpool defender added: “Whether Unai Emery had the Champions League on his mind, and make sure he rests his players in the Carabao Cup, that is not the priority.

“It is qualifying for the Champions League, and it’s also having a good run in the Champions League. They can possibly qualify on Wednesday against Brugge, so when you look at that situation it is a difficult one for manager’s to manage. Villa, nowhere near good enough at the weekend.”