Aston Villa have rallied from behind to win 2-1 at injury-hit Tottenham and move two points off the lead in the Premier League on a day illuminated by a Alejandro Garnacho wonder strike in Manchester United’s win over Everton.
Ollie Watkins found space at the heart of a makeshift Spurs defence to roll a shot into the bottom corner in the 61st minute, scoring his seventh league goal of the season and completing the turnaround by Villa at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
It was a third straight league loss for Tottenham, whose campaign is in danger of unravelling when not long ago the team managed by Australian Ange Postecoglou was in first place.
Joining a lengthy list of injuries and — in the case of Cristian Romero and Yves Bissouma — suspensions was Uruguay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, who was making his first start after eight months out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury and was forced off after a foul by Matty Cash.
Villa climbed to fourth place, tied on points with Liverpool in third and two points behind leaders Arsenal after 13 games. Tottenham are two points behind Villa in fifth.
Next are Manchester United who won 3-0 at Everton inspired by a stunning early goal by Garnacho that recalled another incredible overhead goal from Wayne Rooney..
There looked to be no danger when Diogo Dalot dinked a cross into the box in the third minute, but Garnacho had other ideas, taking a couple of steps back before leaping and unleashing an unstoppable bicycle kick which went over Jordan Pickford and into the net.
“The start of the game, very good. A very good team goal, the finish was incredible – world class. Probably already the goal of the season. Magnificent moment,” said United coach Erik ten Hag.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes added: “Superb – something amazing and I have no words to describe it. It is out of this world. Special from a special kid.
“I still expect more from him we are aware of his capabilities we know what he can do in football.”
Protests at the ten-point penalty imposed on Everton by the Premier League for breaking financial fair play rules were silenced as the Argentine met Diogo Dalot’s cross with a a perfectly struck overhead kick that flew into the top corner.
Everton rallied and created a string of chances, but could not come close to matching Garnacho’s finishing, though they would have levelled but for Kobbie Mainoo, 18, capping a mightily impressive first Premier League start with a key goal-line clearance.
Instead they conceded twice more. The first goal further darkened the Evertonian mood as originally Anthony Martial was booked for diving, but after VAR intervened a penalty was given that Marcus Rashford converted.
In both matches the home side had more shots and more on target but luck, poor finishing and good goalkeeping denied them
At Tottenham Postecoglou reflected: “It is just the situation we’re in at the moment, but we’ll get through it.
“Some of the goals we could have scored would have ended up being showreels for us in the way we want to play our football, so for me the positives definitely outweigh the negative of the result.”
Giovani Lo Celso, playing as a replacement for injured playmaker James Maddison, lashed in a deflected shot from the edge of the area for the opening goal for Tottenham in the 22nd minute after Villa failed to clear a right-wing corner.
But Villa then equalised in the seventh minute of first-half stoppage time when Pau Torres headed in Douglas Luiz’s free kick and the visitors took the lead when Watkins exchanged passes with Youri Tielemans and sent a low shot beyond Vicario from a central position.
© AAP
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