Tottenham Hotspur’s commanding display at Villa Park has shifted the mood around the club, with Glenn Hoddle now offering a clear view on their chances of survival.
There is no denying that Tottenham Hotspur were imperious at Villa Park on Sunday night as they dominated the encounter and secured a 2-1 victory over Unai Emery’s side.
Of course, not many would have expected such a performance from the Lilywhites, who have struggled for most of the season and came into Sunday’s encounter with a severely depleted squad, with nine players out.
However, Roberto De Zerbi’s men did not allow the negativity around them to prevent them from sticking to their task, as their victory has seen them move out of the bottom three into 17th.
Tottenham backed to avoid relegation by Glenn Hoddle after Aston Villa result
There are still three games left to play, and Spurs are far from safe from relegation as they are only above the dotted line by a single point.
Any slip-up and a West Ham United victory could see Spurs drop back into the relegation zone and invite pressure with only a few games left.
Speaking on TNT Sports, former Tottenham boss Glenn Hoddle shared his verdict on Spurs’ chances after their display, highlighting the performance level and intensity shown against Aston Villa, before predicting Tottenham to stay in the Premier League.
He said: “I do,” when asked if he believes Spurs will stay up. “You asked me the question earlier and I said ‘well my heart was saying they will stay up but my head was going no if we lost today’.
“That is a titanic performance and a titanic result and it puts a load of pressure on the other teams – well West Ham down there actually.
“It was the way that they played today, I thought it was excellent, absolutely spot on tactically and the players had that hunger.
“Every player played eight or nine out of ten, they were brilliant today.
“Only [negative] was the goal conceded right at the end.
“The passion and the hard work they put in, if they do that again on Monday night at home then they will start getting good results at home.”
Spurs home form concerns despite away strength
The next game for Spurs is at home at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against Leeds United, and a victory there could bolster their hopes of avoiding relegation.
However, it will not be straightforward, given their home struggles for most of the campaign. Based on home performances this season, Spurs would have been relegated, as they find themselves in the bottom three of the home table after 17 matches at their own ground.
Only Burnley has a worse record, though they have the same points as the Lilywhites, who are above them on goal difference.
| Position | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | West Ham United | 17 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 24-29 | -5 | 19 |
| 17 | Nottingham Forest | 17 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 18-21 | -3 | 18 |
| 18 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 18-33 | -15 | 13 |
| 19 | Tottenham Hotspur | 17 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 20-30 | -10 | 11 |
| 20 | Burnley | 17 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 15-26 | -11 | 11 |
That is a stark contrast to how strong they have been away from home. This season, Spurs are ranked as the third-best away side in the division, with only Arsenal and Manchester City boasting better records.
| Position | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 17 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 27-15 | +12 | 32 |
| 2 | Manchester City | 18 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 31-20 | +11 | 32 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 18 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 25-24 | +1 | 26 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 30-24 | +6 | 25 |
With two home games still to come before the season ends, the hope will be that De Zerbi finds a way to turn their fortunes at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium around.