Temperatures may have been below zero but Rafael Van Der Vaart proved too hot to handle for Villa.

The Dutchman’s double strike gave 10-man Spurs a 2-1 win at Villa Park in a Boxing Day classic.

Marc Albrighton pulled a late goal back for Villa but the day belonged to Van Der Vaart, who struck either side of the half-time break to secure the points for Spurs.

Spurs had lost Jermain Defoe to a red card just before the half-time break, but they had enough about them secure victory against a Villa side high on workrate but low on quality in the final third.

Albrighton pulled a goal back for Villa in the 82nd minute when his curling effort was missed by everyone and drifted into the net, but the result will be a further setback for manager Gerard Houllier.

The home side had a good chance to open the scoring in the second minute of the game, when Eric Lichaj pumped a free-kick into the box which was met by the towering head of James Collins.

The ball dropped to Albrighton but the winger scuffed his shot from close range and Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes made a comfortable save.

Tottenham carved open the Villa defence moments later when Aaron Lennon flicked a clever through-ball from Luka Modric into the path of Jermain Defoe.

With only Brad Friedel to beat Defoe seemed certain to score, but the goalkeeper narrowed the angle and brilliantly blocked his goal-bound shot.

Villa had a penalty shout turned down in the ninth minute when Emile Heskey went down under a challenge from Gomes on the byline, but it would have been harsh on the goalkeeper.

Spurs had the ball in the net a minute later when Alan Hutton cut the ball back from a free-kick into the path of Kaboul who drilled the ball past Friedel, but the assistant referee had already flagged as the ball had crossed the byline.

It was only a matter of time before the deadlock was broken and it was the visitors who went ahead in the 23rd minute with a goal that was brilliantly crafted, but was ultimately scored because of a defensive error.

Modric swept a brilliant cross-field pass to Alan Hutton on the right flank, for the Scottish full-back to whip a low ball into the penalty area.

James Collins anticipated the danger but slipped at the crucial moment, which allowed Van Der Vaart to steal into the space in front of him and smash the ball past the helpless Friedel into the net.

Collins was again at the centre of the action four minutes later but this time it was Villa who got the break, as Defoe was sent off for an elbow on the Welsh centre-back.

Defoe will probably feel a little hard done by as he simply led with his arm as he jumped for the ball and there was certainly no malice, but referee Martin Atkinson showed him a red card.

Villa started positively after the half-time interval and Downing’s cross in the 60th minute was met by the head of Carlos Cuellar, who could not direct his header on target when well placed.

In a reversal of the first half it was 10-man Spurs who sat back and hit on the counter attack and Villa who enjoyed all of the possession.

However, the visitors were much more clinical as van der Vaart effectively put the game to bed in the 67th minute, capping a brilliant move on the break with a confident finish from just inside the penalty area.

Villa huffed and puffed and looked dangerous from set pieces late on and set up a grandstand finish when they pulled a goal back in the 82nd minute through Albrighton.

The winger twisted and turned on the edge of the penalty area and his curling delivery was missed by the head of the diving Collins, but drifted past Gomes into the corner of the net.

However, despite a late spell of pressure they were unable to find a way past Gomes for a second time.