Aston Villa vs. Tottenham Hotspur – English Premier League, March 2, 2021

This fixture looks like being the last roll of the dice for both clubs as far as qualifying for European competition goes this season. There are still ten or eleven games to go but a defeat here would definitely hurt a team’s chances.

Aston Villa still has an extra game in hand of course, and will be looking to punish what could be a tired Tottenham side after its embarrassing Europa League tie in Zagreb on Thursday.

Spurs are four points ahead of Villa in the league table – and is something of a bogey side for the West Midlands club – but I’m not sure it should be the favorite here. Villa has looked good all season and may even have Jack Grealish back for this one. The odds for the home win look far better value.

Aston Villa’s form has stalled somewhat since the turn of the year, after being as high as fifth at the end of December. But a relatively limited squad, COVID illnesses and the absence of its best players have all played their part in the drop down the table experienced in the last few months.

It is probably a little too early for Jack Grealish to come back into the side for this one. But his fitness is getting better after a long time out, so Dean Smith may have him for some of the crucial fixtures coming up in the next few months.

For now, he will hope that Ollie Watkins can break his goal-drought and find the net against Spurs on Sunday.

Influential playmaker and goal scorer Heung-min Son looks set to remain unavailable and Harry Kane will be eager to score his first goal away from home in six games. But there is also the midweek debacle to take into consideration.

Leading 2-0 from the first leg of its Europa League round of 16 tie with Dinamo Zagreb, Spurs somehow allowed the Croatian side to come back into the game before losing to a third Dinamo goal in the second half of extra time. That disappointment – added to what will be some very tired limbs – could cost Tottenham dear on Sunday.

There is every chance that Jose Mourinho will be able to fire up his players to come back from the Europa League defeat and take all three points on Sunday. Or he may opt to go ultra-defensive and conserve a point. But I think that there is some real discord within the Tottenham changing room now – and Villa should be able to take full advantage of that.