Analysis: Aston Villa show they are winning where it matters after impressive FA Cup win
Villa might be envious of Tottenham’s revenue streams but where it matters most they are the club surging ahead.
Saturday was the second time this season they have visited Spurs and the second time they have returned with a deserved 2-1 victory.
For the second time, Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers were the goalscorers, following up their goal of the season contenders in October’s Premier League meeting with two more excellent finishes to secure FA Cup progress and set up a second half of the season where, once again, it appears Unai Emery’s men will be fighting for glory on three fronts.
Not so long ago, beating Tottenham on their own patch would have been considered a statement result.
These days, it increasingly feels routine. This was Villa’s fifth win in their last seven visits and it is difficult to recall another where they controlled such large portions of the match.
Another big club who missed the boat when the big money began pouring into the Premier League during the 1990s, Tottenham have always made for a good comparison when assessing the general state of Villa.
A little under 20 years ago the pair were rivals battling to bridge the gap to what was then English football’s “Big Four”.
Tottenham were the club who got everything right and made it. Villa got everything wrong and were relegated. While Spurs challenged for the Champions League, they were battling to get out of the Championship.
