Goals from Carlos Vinicius and Harry Kane saw Tottenham earn a hard-fought victory at Aston Villa to ease the pressure on Jose Mourinho.
After a woeful run of results, Tottenham returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday.
Following their disappointing Europa League exit, Mourinho called on his players to show a change of attitude as they continue to push for a spot in Europe next season.
Mourinho made seven changes to the side that started against Dinamo Zagreb in midweek. The most notable change saw Carlos Vinicius partner with Harry Kane upfront for the first time in Tottenham colors.
Spurs took the lead just before the half-hour mark with the first real chance of the game.
Vinicius’ chasing of a long ball prompted a poor clearance from Emiliano Martinez. Lucas Moura showed some good work and set up his compatriot for a tap-in to score his first Premier League goal.
Mourinho’s defense stood firm in the face of a spirited but blunt Villa side clearly missing the services of star man Jack Grealish. Spurs soon doubled their lead midway through the second half.
Kane won and clinically dispatched a penalty, having been fouled off a tired challenge from Matty Cash. The goal saw the England captain go level with Mohamed Salah in the Golden Boot race, as well as hit 30-goal contributions for the season.
There was no late drama this time as Spurs held on for a vital victory to boost their European hopes and show that the players are still fighting for Mourinho.
Player ratings
Aston Villa: Martinez (6), Target (5), Mings (6), Konsa (6), Cash (5), McGinn (5), Luiz (5), Sanson (6), Trezeguet (6), Traore (6), Watkins (5)
Tottenham: Lloris (6), Tanganga (6), Rodon (7), Sanchez (6), Reguilon (6), Ndombele (6), Hojbjerg (6), Lo Celso (7), Lucas (8), Carlos Vinicius (7), Kane (7)
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