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Tottenham Hotspur host Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup, well aware that this competition represents their only realistic shot at silverware this season.
Looking at the way things are currently going for Tottenham Hotspur, two wins in their previous 12 league games suggests Thomas Frank is not enjoying many peaceful nights at the moment, with pressure on his job continuing to ramp up.
Although winless since the new year, it would be wrong to say this Spurs side are producing completely lifeless performances. There have been small, fleeting glimpses of decent football, a welcome change from the utterly bland 90 minutes we were getting used to towards the end of 2025.
Those moments, however, have not been enough. Spurs fell to a late 3-2 defeat against a Bournemouth side that had not won a single match since the end of October, a result that saw them slip to 14th in the Premier League table. With the mid-table becoming increasingly congested and competitive, their hopes of a Champions League finish look more fragile by the week.
As for the visitors, Aston Villa arrive in north London firmly in the title race, sitting just 6 points behind leaders Arsenal. This competition could be viewed as an opportunity to hand minutes to their second string as they keep their focus firmly on the league.
At the weekend, though, Villa failed to narrow down that gap, settling for a goalless draw against Crystal Palace. It was only the second time in their previous 12 matches that they had not won, coincidentally, the complete opposite of Tottenham’s case.
What time does Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa kick off?
- Location: London, England
- Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
- Date: Saturday, 10 January 2026
- Kick-off time: 5:45pm BST
- Referee: Craig Pawson
- VAR: Not in use
Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa: Head to head record
Spurs were a little unfortunate to draw a fellow Premier League side at this stage of the competition, and the same can be said for Villa, with several top-flight clubs enjoying ties against Championship, League One or even non-league opposition.
The two sides last met in the Premier League back in October, where Tottenham raced into a 1-0 lead within five minutes, only for Villa to recover and see out a 2-1 victory.
They also crossed paths in this very competition last season, albeit in the fourth round, when Villa were comfortable 2-1 winners against a Spurs side desperately trying to piece together a fully fit starting XI.
Tottenham team news
Aside from the struggles on the pitch, it has been a brutal week for Tottenham on the injury front. Thomas Frank confirmed that Mohammed Kudus will be out for a considerable period after suffering a thigh injury last week.
The defeat to Bournemouth also brought two more setbacks, with both Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur ruled out for an unspecified length of time.
Cristian Romero will miss this tie through suspension after admitting to FA’s charges, leaving Kevin Danso and/or Radu Dragusin in line to start at centre-back.
Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are away at AFCON, while Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke remain sidelined through injury. Destiny Udogie could finally return to action, potentially getting a few minutes as he works his way back from a hamstring issue.
Aston Villa team news
Aston Villa will be without Emiliano Martinez, who was forced off at half-time at the weekend due to injury. His replacement, Marco Bizot, however, was impressive and will be looking to carry that form into this tie.
Tyrone Mings is edging closer to a return from his hamstring problem but will not be involved here. Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley also miss out, while Evann Guessand is away on AFCON duty.
Predicted Tottenham line-up
Vicario; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Gray, Simons; Odobert, Richarlison, Tel.
Our prediction
Put simply, it is hard to see how Thomas Frank survives if his side fail to impress in this fixture. That reality alone might just provide the spark Spurs desperately need.
Predicted score: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Aston Villa
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