Aston Villa secured their first league victory of the 2026 season on Sunday, overcoming Tottenham Hotspur in a closely contested match that marked their fifth attempt to claim three points. The win mirrors the timing of their initial league success from last season, underscoring a pattern within the team’s campaign starts.

Manager Unai Emery expressed satisfaction with his squad’s adherence to the match strategy, highlighting both defensive solidity and offensive cohesion as key factors in the result. “We are delighted with how the players responded to the game plan and how comfortable they were within the structure, both defensively and offensively,” Emery said. He noted that individual confidence grew throughout the match, contributing to their success. Acknowledging Tottenham’s quality, Emery also praised their manager and emphasized the difficulty in preparing defensively for the encounter.

Team captain John McGinn echoed the sentiment of relief following the victory, pointing to the significance of earning points before the international break. McGinn admitted that the team’s first-half performance lacked sharpness but credited their improved effort after halftime as decisive. “We showed nothing going forward in the first half, but in the second half we stood tall and deserved the win,” he said. McGinn added that avoiding a position near the relegation zone was a motivating factor heading into the game.

The win moves Aston Villa off the bottom of the table and provides a boost as they aim to build momentum in the early part of the Premier League season. Meanwhile, Tottenham will look to regroup after the setback as they continue their campaign.