Exclusive News: Spurs, massive game, match statistics, and the need for payback

I’m in a terrible mood at the airport, about to catch a flight. I’ve got a man cold, not in the negative way you’re thinking. It’s not good, and I’ll be back at my hotel in about 3 hours to go to bed. Today is a big day, so I’m hoping my alarm gets me up in time for kickoff.

Spurs are doing well under their new manager, while the clubs below us are closing the gap. Today is a critical day. We’ll be in the top four after a third of the season if we win. I don’t want to miss this, and I believe we’ve gotten lucky by playing Spurs, who are missing a number of crucial players.

The point is, Spurs will be Spurs this season, and I don’t think it matters who starts; they’ll run at you for 90 minutes, and they’ll be at home. But our manager is aware of this and will have planned accordingly. This is a major game.

And because I have what can only be described as the worst cold I’ve ever had, I need to stop this post immediately or I’ll fall asleep.

And, in true Irish spirit, I’m going to my hotel, drink a hot toddy, and sleep for a couple of hours. I shall return.

 Facts about  the match:

Head-to-head

• Aston Villa beat Tottenham home and away last season and can win three consecutive Premier League matches against them for only the second time, following a run of four from 1994 to 1996.
• Tottenham have not lost consecutive home games against Villa since August 1995.
• Spurs had a different manager for each of their four previous league fixtures against Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: Mauricio Pochettino, Ryan Mason, Nuno and Antonio Conte. Ange Postecoglou will be the fifth in as many games.

Tottenham Hotspur

• Previously unbeaten Spurs have suffered back-to-back defeats against Chelsea and Wolves despite opening the scoring in both matches.
• The Lilywhites last lost three league games in a row at the beginning of last year, a run that included defeats against Chelsea and Wolves.
• They have conceded a league-high six goals in second-half stoppage time this season, including each of their last four.
• Son Heung-min has scored five goals in six Premier League appearances against Aston Villa but all five came at Villa Park.

Aston Villa

• Villa have equalled the club record of 21 Premier League victories in a calendar year, set in 1998. They last won 22 top-flight games in a single year in 1980.
• Their tally of 19 points from eight league matches since the September international break is the highest in the division.
• However, Unai Emery’s side have only managed two wins in their past 10 away league games (D3, L5).
• Aston Villa have the second best goalscoring record in the division prior to this weekend’s fixtures but only six of their 29 goals have come away.
• They are unbeaten in their five Premier League visits to London since a 3-0 defeat at Fulham in Steven Gerrard’s final game in charge 13 months ago (W3, D2).
• Emery is unbeaten in all five league matches versus Spurs, although his Arsenal side lost 2-0 at home in a 2018-19 League Cup quarter-final.