Solanke nets brace as Tottenham come from behind to whip Aston Villa

Dominic Solanke scored twice as Tottenham rallied to secure a victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League.

The £65 million summer signing increased his league goal tally for the season, netting two goals in just four minutes during the second half, helping Ange Postecoglou’s team rise to seventh place in the standings.

Solanke opened the scoring for Spurs with a stunning finish, delicately lifting the ball over the onrushing Emiliano Martinez after receiving a pass from Dejan Kulusevski. He then capitalized on Richarlison’s assist to slot in a second goal, sealing the late comeback against Villa.

Aston Villa had taken the lead in the 32nd minute with Morgan Rogers scoring the game’s first shot on target, capitalizing on Spurs’ failure to clear a Lucas Digne in-swinging corner.

Despite being denied a goal just moments earlier when Amadou Onana’s header struck the post, Villa displayed impressive organization and managed to withstand significant pressure in the first half.

However, Tottenham turned the tide within four minutes of the restart when Brennan Johnson connected with Son Heung-min’s excellent cross from the left, lifting the mood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and setting the stage for the comeback.

Substitute James Maddison then added a fourth goal with a spectacular free-kick deep into stoppage time, mirroring Spurs’ previous home league match where they also won 4-1 after going behind against West Ham.

This victory allowed Tottenham to close the gap to the top four following last week’s defeat at Crystal Palace, while fourth-placed Arsenal sits just two points ahead. Villa, in fifth place, missed the opportunity to move up to third.

Spurs are still searching for consistent form as they aim to return to the Champions League following a fifth-place finish last season, managing to win back-to-back league matches only once in their first ten games this season.

Although they haven’t replicated their impressive start under Postecoglou from last term—when they began November 2023 at the top of the table—they continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience under the Australian manager.

After bouncing back from a disappointing defeat to Crystal Palace by defeating Manchester City to secure a spot in the EFL Cup quarter-finals, Spurs faced a challenging start once again, conceding the opening goal for the 12th time in 14 home league matches in 2024.

Despite this, by the end of the match, they matched the Premier League record for home wins after conceding first in a single year, marking the eighth occasion this season.

Villa’s opening goal came against the run of play and highlighted a recurring vulnerability for the hosts. A mishap involving Pedro Porro and Rodrigo Bentancur allowed Lucas Digne’s set-piece to find Guglielmo Vicario, who could only deflect the ball into the path of Morgan Rogers.

Spurs were fortunate that Ollie Watkins, who had been kept quiet for most of the first half, failed to extend Villa’s lead by dragging his shot wide just before halftime.

However, the equalizer early in the second half reignited Spurs, who came out with renewed determination and successfully limited Villa’s attempts on goal.

Captain Son Heung-min played a crucial role on his return from a two-match injury absence, but he was surprisingly substituted just minutes after assisting Johnson’s equalizer.

This substitution allowed Dominic Solanke to shine, with the 27-year-old showcasing his talent, particularly with his first goal. Postecoglou will be hoping that his big-money signing can continue to build confidence to help the team find the consistency they seek.