Harry Kane came off the bench to score a 90th-minute winner this evening as Tottenham Hotspur fought back from a goal down to inflict a sixth straight defeat on Aston Villa.
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Villa striker Christian Benteke, who was later shown a straight red card, looked bright in the early stages and twice came close to the opening goal. First, his stooping header flashed wide before a left-foot rasper crashed against the woodwork.
Roberto Soldado started the game alongside Emmanuel Adebayor in attack for Spurs and could have put the visitors in front when a ball spurted his way in the area, but he couldn't react quick enough to head into the unguarded net.
Villa went into the game without a goal since September but stopped their drought at 547 minutes when Andreas Weimann slid in to direct Charles N'Zogbia's low cross into the corner.
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Spurs captain Younes Kaboul could have equalised soon after, but only managed to hit the ball straight at Villa keeper Brad Guzan from close range.
Adebayor then had a golden chance to pull the visitors level, collecting a through-ball from Soldado before he too was thwarted by Villa's American keeper.
Benteke almost doubled Villa's lead shortly before the break when his athletic header curled just wide of the upright.
The Belgian striker then got himself sent off in the 64th minute after clashing with Ryan Mason and raising a hand to the midfielder's face.
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It would prove costly in the end as Spurs struck twice in the final 10 minutes to claim all three points.
They equalised in the 84th minute when Nacer Chadli was left unmarked at the back post and converted Erik Lamela's corner.
Villa almost restored their lead before Kane's winner through left-back Aly Cissokho, whose shot from outside the box whizzed past the post.
Spurs won it in the last minute of normal time when Kane's dipping free kick took a deflection off the Villa wall, with Guzan only able to watch the ball fly past him into the net.
It is the first time that a Premier League team managed by Mauricio Pochettino has come from behind to win and it takes Spurs up to eighth.
Defeat is the first time in 47 years that Villa have lost six consecutive league games and they stay 15th, just two points above the drop zone.
Pascal Lemesre
