Could Aston Villa Upset Tottenham?

By Ryan Wrenn | Jan 7, 2017

Jul 29, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Christian Eriksen (23) controls the ball against the MLS All Stars during the first half of the 2015 MLS All Star Game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Just how much of a chance you might give Aston Villa in their FA Cup fourth round match at Tottenham depends on whether you earnestly believe in the magic of the cup.

Such a description of the world’s oldest football tournament might seem trite or cliched, but from time to time it can be accurate. Smaller teams beat the likes of Tottenham fairly regularly, if only because Mauricio Pochettino and his fellow Premier League managers rarely take the competition all that seriously.

Not that that matters all that much to smaller teams. A win over Tottenham is a win over Tottenham, even if it’s only against bench players and youngsters.

That’s especially true of Villa. Their ignominious collapse last season saw them drop out of the Premier League for the first time ever. Since then they have struggled to find their bearings in the Championship, where they currently sit 12th — seven points from the promotion playoff spots.

Their plight would have been much worse were Steve Bruce not appointed manager on October 12th. Where as Villa only earned one win in their opening 12 matches in all competitions, since Bruce’s arrival they have won seven and lost only three in 14.

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So perhaps Villa find themselves in the mix to earn an immediate promotion by the season’s end. Bruce, after all, has plenty of experience in difficult or even seemingly impossible situations. He kept both Sunderland and Hull City in the Premier League, which is no mean feat.

Bruce’s job is made easier by the fact that, despite their difficulties, Villa have a decent squad. That both Jordan Ayew and Jordan Amavi stayed on through their relegation is something of a shock. The acquisition of Mile Jedinak and Ross McCormack give them plenty more quality at least relative to the Championship.

Tottenham, then, will face a Villa team on the rise on Sunday. With Bruce they gained a competent manager, and their team is stocked with veterans. Does that mean Pochettino, et al have something to fear?

Likely not. This is an almost fully healthy Tottenham team on a run of five wins, and playing at home. Even if Pochettino names a rotated squad, the likes of Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko can best even the strongest Villa resistance.

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Moreover, a win against Villa will sustain their streak. With a tricky game against West Brom coming up next weekend, keeping this Spurs’ squad’s confidence high is a priority near the top of the list.

All that being said, fans of either side can likely expect a spirited match that might approach that aforementioned magic of the cup.