Unai Emery praised Aston Villa’s resilience and clinical edge after Saturday’s dramatic 3-2 Premier League victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
Villa secured their first league win of the season after goals from Johan Manzambi, Nicolas Jackson and Emiliano Buendía put Emery’s side 3-0 ahead in north London.
Tottenham struck twice late on to create a nervous finish, but Villa survived to claim three important points and build on their midweek Carabao Cup victory over Coventry City.
Emery spoke after the final whistle about Villa’s game plan, Jackson’s development and the way his side handled a demanding afternoon.
Emery delighted with Aston Villa’s response
Tottenham applied significant pressure during the opening stages and forced Zion Suzuki into several important saves.
Villa stayed in the contest before Manzambi eventually gave them the lead late in the first half.
Emery felt that resilience was fundamental to the result.
Speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the game, Emery said Villa “defended with resilience” and waited for the right moments to threaten Tottenham.
That approach was clear throughout the game.
Villa were prepared to play beyond Tottenham’s press rather than forcing short build-up under pressure.
Our analysis of Aston Villa’s tactical shift against Tottenham looked at how Emery adapted his side to create more direct attacking situations.
The plan eventually paid off.
Manzambi opened the scoring before Jackson and Buendía extended Villa’s advantage after the break.
Nicolas Jackson earns major Emery praise
Jackson produced one of his strongest Villa performances since arriving at the club.
The striker scored Villa’s second goal and repeatedly threatened Tottenham’s defensive line with his movement.
Emery believes the forward is beginning to better understand how Villa can use his qualities.
“He is understanding of how we can exploit his quality better and his positioning,” Emery told the BBC.
That represents an important development for a player who has faced competition from Tammy Abraham for the central attacking role.
We looked in more detail at Jackson’s Aston Villa breakthrough against Tottenham after the match.
His performance also adds another layer to a squad that has changed significantly since the summer window.
Villa’s 2026/27 Premier League squad guide shows just how many new options Emery is now attempting to integrate.
Johan Manzambi rewards Emery’s faith
Manzambi also justified his inclusion from the start.
The youngster opened the scoring and then played an important role in the move that ended with Jackson doubling Villa’s advantage.
It was a major contribution on his first Premier League start.
His display followed weeks of competition for places across Villa’s attacking positions.
The performance also continued an encouraging trend for Emery, with several younger players beginning to force their way into senior consideration.
Manzambi’s ability to combine energy, movement and end product gives Villa another useful option as the season develops.
Emiliano Buendía proves his importance again
Buendía added Villa’s third goal and again showed why Emery continues to value him.
The Argentine has not always been guaranteed a starting role, but his technical quality and understanding of Emery’s system remain valuable.
His finish against Tottenham gave Villa what appeared to be a decisive three-goal cushion.
Buendía’s experience is particularly important in a squad now containing several younger and newer players.
That balance between established figures and recent arrivals is becoming increasingly significant as Villa attempt to compete across multiple competitions.
Tottenham fightback gives Emery something to fix
Villa’s main frustration came during the final stages.
Tottenham scored twice late on and suddenly turned what had looked like a comfortable win into a tense finish.
Reuters reported that Villa had built a 3-0 lead before Spurs finally responded through Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke.
Villa still held firm, but Emery will want greater control when protecting leads.
That issue is particularly relevant as his side prepares for a demanding run after the international break.
The full list of upcoming games can be followed through our Aston Villa fixtures and results hub.
Villa return to Premier League action against Brentford before facing Newcastle United and Manchester City later in October.
Aston Villa finally have momentum
The Tottenham win gave Villa their first Premier League victory of the campaign.
It also provided another positive result after the Carabao Cup success over Coventry.
The wider context of the performance can be found in our Tottenham 2-3 Aston Villa match report, while the individual performances were assessed in our Aston Villa player ratings.
Emery’s side are still developing.
However, the combination of resilience, direct attacking threat and greater competition for places offered genuine encouragement.
The challenge now is ensuring that momentum survives the international break.
