Villa survive late Spurs fightback to earn first Premier League win

Aston Villa claimed their first Premier League win of the season in a dramatic affair against Tottenham Hotspur. Despite the North London club splashing out over £300m on new players this summer, they succumbed to a late fightback, leaving them in a vulnerable position as they have now slumped to 18th place – their worst opening to a campaign since 2008-09.

Johan Manzambi, Nicolas Jackson, and Emiliano Buendia were on target for Villa, while Tottenham's late tap-in from Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke's header came too late to alter the outcome. The home side's captain, Micky van de Ven, had to receive treatment during the match, and their record signing Manzambi scored an early goal against the flow of play.

A VAR intervention denied the visitors an equaliser in the 60th minute when Andy Robertson was found offside by the smallest of margins in attempting to score from Mohammed Kudus' shot. Buendia added to Villa's tally with another impressive effort, while Jackson finished with a brilliant left corner from the edge of the box, assisted by Spurs' defender Van Hecke.

The goals and a strong first-half display from visiting goalkeeper Zion Suzuki helped Villa rise out of the relegation zone to 15th in the table, while Spurs now sit 18th.