The relegation battle took another twist over the weekend as West Ham United suffered a heavy 3–0 defeat to Brentford on Saturday. That result left Tottenham Hotspur knowing that victory against Aston Villa on Sunday would be enough to pull them clear of the drop zone.
Spurs delivered under pressure at Villa Park, earning a 2–1 win over a much-changed Villa side fielded by Unai Emery. The performance reflected the squad’s response to Roberto De Zerbi’s rallying call, as they showed resilience, togetherness, and belief. The result secured back-to-back wins and lifted them out of the bottom three.
However, the victory came amid an ongoing injury crisis, with several senior players stepping up—and new concerns emerging late on.
De Zerbi provides injury update
With only a few matches remaining in the fight for Premier League survival, De Zerbi has revitalised the team, restoring confidence and momentum.
Both Rodrigo Bentancur and Micky van de Ven impressed at Villa Park but sparked injury worries. Bentancur was withdrawn in the 67th minute, while Van de Ven appeared to suffer an ankle issue late in the game.
After the match, De Zerbi eased fears over both players.
“He’s fine,” he said of Van de Ven, before adding: “Bentancur was just tired.”
Timely boost for Spurs
The update will come as a major relief for Spurs fans. Bentancur has been influential since returning from a hamstring injury in April, bringing composure and control to midfield and becoming central to De Zerbi’s setup.
Van de Ven, meanwhile, has stepped up in the absence of injured captain Cristian Romero, forming a solid partnership with Kevin Danso in defence.
With both players expected to be available, Tottenham will take confidence into their next crucial fixture against Leeds United as they continue their battle to stay in the Premier League.
