Aston Villa Mentality Shines As Emery-led Side Advances To FA Cup Fourth Round Against Tottenham

Aston Villa reached the FA Cup fourth round after a resilient 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, built on a dominant first half and disciplined defending late on, with Unai Emery praising a growing mentality as Aston Villa continued a season competing for silverware on three different fronts.

Goals from Emiliano Buendia and Morgan Rogers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium put Aston Villa in control before half-time, and although Wilson Odobert pulled one back for Tottenham, the hosts also saw efforts from Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons ruled out, leaving Emery’s side as back-to-back FA Cup conquerors of Tottenham.

This result made Aston Villa the first club to knock Tottenham out of the FA Cup in consecutive seasons since Manchester United did so in the 2007-08

and 2008-09 fourth rounds, while the win also ensured Emery’s squad stayed alive in three competitions, keeping interest across domestic and European campaigns deep into the season.

Emery highlighted how the team adjusted once Tottenham increased pressure after the break, pointing to structure and mentality rather than fluency in attack, as Aston Villa sacrificed some control in possession but still limited clear chances, which reinforced Emery’s belief that this developing group could handle demanding knockout situations away from home.

Buendia had a central role in both Aston Villa goals and scored in the FA Cup for the first time, moving to six goals in all competitions this season, which is Buendia’s best single-campaign total for the club, while Rogers again proved a consistent threat at this stadium with another key contribution.

Player	Competition Detail	Stat
Emiliano Buendia	Goals for Aston Villa in all competitions this season	6
Emiliano Buendia	First FA Cup goal for Aston Villa	1
Morgan Rogers	Direct goal involvements vs Tottenham in all competitions	6 (4 goals, 2 assists)
Morgan Rogers	Scoring record at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium	Goal in all 3 appearances

Rogers has now been involved in more goals against Tottenham than against any other club in a professional career, with six contributions, made up of four goals and two assists, and Rogers has scored in all three appearances at this particular venue, underlining a clear habit of performing well in this fixture.

"Both players were fantastic and played 90 minutes. Of course, the qualities and the skills of Buendia are really helping us a lot, he added. And playing 90 minutes, with his versatile position, playing in a left side and inside as a 10, we did both during the match. In each position, he's performing very well and his commitment to help, get his task done and focus, overall, is really fantastic. Especially the performance of Morgan [Rogers] and Buendia was really fantastic, and each one can feel comfortable playing with their qualities. "

The match itself swung on Aston Villa’s strong opening spell, when controlled possession and sharp attacking play brought the goals for Buendia and Rogers, and although Tottenham responded after half-time with Odobert’s strike and long periods of pressure, the visitors survived two disallowed goals for Kolo Muani and Simons to protect the advantage.

"The first 45 minutes, we controlled the game like we planned, Emery told BBC Match of the Day. We created chances, we scored two goals, we dominated, and we defended very well. The second half, Spurs started pushing more, they scored a goal. Progressively in the second half, we were feeling better on the field. Again, good positioning and dominating with the ball. Not creating big chances but getting the control of the game like we planned and how we did in the first half. Of course, in 90 minutes overall, I think we deserved to get this win, and of course, how the players responded on the field showed the mentality we're building is really fantastic. "

Emery’s assessment reflected a balance of tactical control and mental strength, with Aston Villa accepting pressure without losing shape, and the coach stressing that the response across the full 90 minutes demonstrated a collective mindset that supports Aston Villa’s aims in league, Europe and the FA Cup as the season continues.