Tottenham took their opportunity to move out of the relegation zone by securing successive Premier League victories with a 2-1 win away to Aston Villa.
Spurs started with intensity and took the lead inside 12 minutes as Conor Gallagher rifled home from the edge of the box.
Villa, with a Europa League semi-final second leg to come next Thursday, were off the pace and Spurs took advantage to double their lead when Richarlison headed home from Mathys Tel’s inswinging cross.
Unai Emery’s side could not muster a reaction after half-time, but pulled a goal back with virtually the last kick of the game through Emiliano Buendia.
Tottenham move out of the relegation zone
Following West Ham’s 3-0 defeat at Brentford on Saturday, Spurs knew they had an opportunity to move out of the relegation zone by beating Villa.
There was a sense that this was a moment Spurs knew they could not pass up, and they played with a point to prove from the first whistle.
Against a heavily rotated Villa side, Spurs quickly set about imposing their authority on the game as they pressed Unai Emery’s side into coughing up possession, only for Richarlison to fire wide.
That chance was a sign of things to come, and it was not long before Spurs took the lead through Gallagher before doubling their advantage after 25 minutes when Richarlison headed home.
With one eye on their Europa League semi-final, Villa seemed distracted and could not get going as Spurs attacked with pace and intensity.
There will undoubtedly have been plenty of nerves from the travelling Spurs support ahead of kick-off, but by half-time, they were in dreamland. Roberto De Zerbi’s side could not have had it any easier in the first 45.
Spurs would have expected a reaction after half-time, but Villa were toothless in response to Spurs’ intensity and mustered just one shot on target as Buendia halved the deficit deep into stoppage time.
Gallagher leads the charge for Spurs
Gallagher has endured a really difficult time since arriving from Atletico Madrid in January.
But De Zerbi has placed the English midfielder at the centre of his plans for survival, impressed by his energy and attitude.
De Zerbi, who tried to sign Gallagher at Brighton, is determined to restore Gallagher to the levels he showed while at Chelsea, and it was his intensity in the press that allowed Spurs to race into a two-goal lead inside 25 minutes.
Spurs were first to every loose ball, and after 12 minutes, it was Gallagher who reacted quickest to pick up possession on the edge of the box and rifle in the opening goal.
Spurs hunted in packs to press Villa into turning over possession, with Gallagher leading the chase. His eagerness was infectious as Spurs swarmed over their hosts and took a commanding lead.
A man of the match performance from Gallagher, who praised De Zerbi’s impact post-match. No player has benefited more from the Italian’s arrival.
Tel takes opportunity to impress
When De Zerbi has spoken about Mathys Tel, he has tended to do so with a tinge of regret.
He likes the French winger, having tried to sign him at Marseille, and labelled him “one of the best young players in Europe” in his pre-match press conference on Friday.
The need for consistency, though, has meant that De Zerbi has so far been reluctant to draft Tel into his starting lineup.
With injuries forcing his hand, De Zerbi admitted pre-match that Tel could finally have his say on the relegation battle and starting for the first time since the end of March at Villa Park, the 21-year-old took his opportunity.
It was Tel’s in-swinging cross, having moments earlier created an excellent opportunity for Randal Kolo Muani, that allowed Richarlison to double his lead.
His directness made a massive difference and allowed Spurs to keep their finger on the pulse - no player completed more crosses than Tel.
This was Tel’s moment, and he laid down a marker as Spurs secured back-to-back wins with a thoroughly dominant performance.
