Aston Villa have won four of their last six meetings with Tottenham, winning two of their last three encounters at Villa Park, despite failing to win any of the previous 12, losing eight on the spin.
Both of these two clubs are aiming to be in next season's Champions League, albeit via different routes, hence why this Friday night fixture is far more important for one side than the other.
Aston Villa kept their top five hopes alive last Saturday by beating Bournemouth 1-0 at Dean Court, with Ollie Watkins poking him the evening's only goal in first half stoppage time.
Unai Emery's team have now won seven of their last eight league outings, beaten only by Manchester City since February.
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur preview
As a result, the Claret and Blue Army kick off sixth, below Chelsea by virtue of goal difference alone. The Villans' fate is not in their own hands, so all they can do is win here and then at Old Trafford on the final day and hope one of the teams above them slips up along the way.
Well, given who their opponents are in these final two fixtures, most are expecting Villa will claim the victories they require.
As for Tottenham Hotspur, they endured their 20th Premier League defeat of the season last Sunday, easily beaten 2-0 by Crystal Palace at home. This is the most loses Spurs have suffered in a single season since being relegated 90 years ago, with Ange Postecoglou's team still yet to reach the 40 points mark, having only beaten Southampton across their last ten matches.
However, no one will mind very much if Tottenham can beat Manchester United in next Wednesday's Europa League Final. A trophy, Spurs' first for 17 years, and a spot in next season's Champions League are both on the line at San Mamés, making it one of the most pivotal matches in the Lilywhites' 143-year history.
Thus, with that clash in Bilbao just five days away, Spurs are unlikely to provide Aston Villa with much resistance at Villa Park come Friday night.
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur head-to-head record
- Matches Played: 176.
- Aston Villa Wins: 61. Draws: 36. Tottenham Hotspur Wins: 79.
Aston Villa team news
Both Youri Tielemans and Marcus Rashford remain sidelined, while Jacob Ramsey is suspended, following his late red card against Bournemouth. Thus, John McGinn is likely to return to midfield, with Pau Torres expected to back back in at centre-back, displacing Tyrone Mings.
Aston Villa predicted lineup vs Tottenham Hotspur: (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Onana, Kamara, McGinn, Rogers, Asensio; Watkins.
Aston Villa player to watch vs Tottenham Hotspur
Ollie Watkins took his tally to 17 for the season in Dorset, while he has previously netted three times against Spurs all, bizarrely, coming in North London, looking to change that fact at Villa Park.
Tottenham Hotspur team news
Dejan Kuluševski suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury against Crystal Palace, a massive blow ahead of the final, especially considering the other creative midfielders Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison are already sidelined. So, will Ange Postecoglou heavily rotate, as he has done during recent Premier League matches, or go strong, trying to build some momentum?
Well, the former does appear more likely so, as was the case on Sunday, squad players Antonín Kinský, Ben Davies, Kevin Danso, Djed Spence, Archie Gray, Pape Matar Sarr, Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel could be given the opportunity to stake a claim.
Given their injury problems this season, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are prime candidates to be rested while, in a much-needed boost, Son Heung-min came off the bench against Palace, his first appearance since 10 April against Frankfurt due to a foot injury, seeking more minutes here.
Tottenham Hotspur predicted lineup vs Aston Villa: (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Danso, Davies, Spence; Matar Sarr, Gray, Bentancur, Odobert, Tel; Richarlison.
Tottenham Hotspur player to watch vs Aston Villa
Wilson Odobert scored his fourth of the season against West Ham a fortnight ago and, while he's yet to establsh himself in Spurs' first-choice lineup, he could be important, both here and in Bilbao on Wednesday.
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur prediction
As alluded to throughout, we'd be astonished if Aston Villa don't win this one and win it comfortably, likely to be far too strong for a disjointed and distracted Spurs: Aston Villa 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur.
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur FAQs
How to watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur on TV
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur will be available on the following TV channels;
- UK: Sky Sports Premier League
- USA: NBC Sports, USA Network & fuboTV
- Canada: Fubo Sports Network Canada
How to watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur on live stream
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur will be available on the following streaming services;
- UK: SkyGo & NOW TV.
- USA: nbcsports.com, USA Network & fuboTV
- Canada: fuboTV Canada
What is the date and kick-off time for Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur?
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur takes place on Friday 16 May 2025, with kick off at 19:30 (BST), 14:30 (EDT) & 11:30 (PDT).