Tottenham will be looking forward to protect the current longest unbeaten run in the Premier League when they host Aston Villa on Monday.
Tottenham Hotspur:
Mauricio Pochettino’s side currently occupy sixth spot in the table, while Villa are bottom following Tim Sherwood’s sacking last weekend.
Pochettino will be preparing his side for their latest test knowing that the confidence is back in the squad after they returned to form in impressive style last weekend.
Trailing to an early Matt Ritchie strike, Spurs responded in emphatic fashion as Harry Kane led the way with a 5-1 victory at Dean Court to make it eight league games unbeaten since losing to Manchester United on the opening day of the season.
It was a win which came after a disappointing run of four games without a win in all competitions, and just three days after Spurs slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Anderlecht in the Europa League.
Although the early stages of the season have been promising for this young squad, the win over Bournemouth suggested that everything had started to click as Pochettino’s methods continue to improve the team.
Five draws in the league have prevented Spurs from being in an even better position after 10 games, with West Ham United currently sitting just three points better off in third.
However, the immediate future certainly looks bright after Kane got back to his best against the Cherries, and if he begins to replicate the form he showed last season, the unbeaten run could be extended.
No side has conceded less goals than Spurs this season, and as the attack continues to improve, Pochettino must surely be confident of putting the pressure on the sides in the top four.
Aston Villa:
A difficult job finally proved to be too tough for Tim Sherwood, who was sacked last weekend after his Villa side suffered a sixth successive league defeat by losing 2-1 to Swansea City.
Just a few months after leading the club away from the relegation zone and taking the team to the FA Cup final, it quickly became clear that the honeymoon period was over for Sherwood as he fought to convince his critics that he was the right man to improve the fortunes on the pitch.
It is just another frustrating twist for the club’s supporters, who already seem resigned to another long relegation battle after picking up just four points from the opening 10 games of the season.
Remi Garde quickly emerged as the favourite to replace Sherwood, but with the Frenchman’s coaching staff currently contracted to Lyon, the Villa hierarchy still have work to do as they aim to appoint a new manager as soon as possible.
As a result, Kevin MacDonald will remain in charge of the side for Monday’s game after watching the team lose 2-1 to Southampton in the League Cup in midweek.
In truth, the cup exit certainly would not have come as a big disappointment to fans desperate to see their side pull clear of the bottom three, but the tests do not got easier ahead of games against Spurs, Manchester City and Everton.
