Tottenham Hotspur 2–3 Aston Villa on 20 April 2025

Kirsty Hanson scored a stoppage-time winner as second-bottom Aston Villa beat Tottenham to ease their relegation fears.

Spurs looked to have secured a battling point as goals from Jess Naz and Ella Morris helped them recover from 2-0 down following earlier efforts from Anna Patten and Ebony Salmon.

However, Villa substitute Hanson, who also scored in their 2-1 victory over Liverpool last time out, struck in the 91st minute to secure back-to-back wins for Natalia Arroyo's side for the first time since January 2024.

The crucial success moved Villa seven points clear of bottom club Crystal Palace with three games left, while Spurs are two points clear in ninth spot.

In a scrappy encounter in the capital, Villa made the breakthrough in the 30th minute when Patten, on her 26th birthday, headed in from close range after Rachel Daly's header rebounded off the bar.

Salmon doubled their lead 11 minutes after half-time, finding herself one-on-one with Lize Kop and beating the Dutch goalkeeper with a low strike.

However, Spurs, who haven't won a league match since January, responded superbly.

Naz produced a poacher's finish in the six-yard box from a 65th-minute corner, before Morris levelled in the 70th minute, bursting on to a speculative long ball, rounding Villa keeper Sabrina D'Angelo, who had come charging out of her goal, and sliding the ball in from a tight angle.

However, Hanson shattered Tottenham hearts, breaking through the home defence on to a Daly pass, before slotting a low finish into the bottom corner.

Leading 2-0 on the hour mark, Villa looked to have the three points wrapped up.

But just 10 minutes later, as Tottenham hit back through Naz and Morris, it was the home side who looked the more likely to go on and find a winner.

And in that regard, the match played entirely to type. Since the start of last season, only Manchester City and Arsenal had won more points from losing positions than Tottenham (15), while Villa had dropped more points (34) from winning positions.

But if there's one thing the visitors have enjoyed this campaign, it's late drama.

Prior to Sunday's match, six of their 18 goals had been scored after the 75th minute, including Salmon's 94th-minute winner against Crystal Palace in November and an 87th-minute own goal when they defeated Liverpool 2-1 at the end of March.

Hanson came off the bench to score the equaliser against the Reds, and it was the 27-year-old who came up trumps again.

Villa have taken their time to get going under Arroyo, who lost her five matches in charge, but are finding form and results at just the right time.

There's still plenty to work on, with her side still displaying a lack of confidence and quality in the final third and looking vulnerable at the back whenever their high press was breached.

But with back-to-back league wins for the first time since January 2024, they are level on points with 10th-placed Leicester City, and have breathing room over Palace, who face a tough trip to leaders Chelsea on Wednesday in their game in hand.