Aston Villa knocked Tottenham out of the FA Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 triumph at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening, plunging head coach Thomas Frank deeper into crisis.
The fixture turned ugly after Referee Craig Pawson blew the full-time whistle and both sides got involved in a huge bust-up.
Morgan Rogers, who had been celebrating in front of Villa’s fans as well as supporters of the home side, and Ollie Watkins clashed with Tottenham midfielder Joao Palhinha, with subs, coaching staff and stewards also finding themselves involved in the altercation on the pitch.
The defeat leaves Spurs with a dismal record of just two victories from their last 13 matches, with Frank's position now appearing untenable.
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Villa supporters taunted the beleaguered manager with chants predicting he would be "sacked in the morning," while home fans offered no songs of support in response.
Though a spirited second-half fightback suggested there remains quality within the squad, the growing sense is that someone else will soon be tasked with harnessing it.
Unai Emery's side seized control midway through the opening period when Emiliano Buendia capitalised on excellent approach play from Donyell Malen.
The Argentine found himself with space and time after Malen drew defenders inside, allowing him to fire powerfully into the roof of the net past Guglielmo Vicario on 22 minutes.
A mass brawl erupted between players as Aston Villa beat Tottenham
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Spurs had started brightly but struggled to create meaningful chances, with their defensive frailties repeatedly exposed.
The situation worsened in first-half added time when Morgan Rogers latched onto a deft flick from Buendia, calmly slotting a low shot beyond Vicario to make it 2-0.
The interval brought a torrent of jeers from frustrated home supporters, their patience exhausted by another woeful defensive display.
The hosts emerged for the second period with renewed purpose, and Wilson Odobert rewarded their improved showing nine minutes after the restart.
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Ollie Watkins clashed with Tottenham midfielder Joao Palhinha
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Randal Kolo Muani, who had replaced the injured Richarlison, drove forward and fed the winger, who drilled a low effort into the far corner past Marco Bizot for his second goal in Spurs colours.
Xavi Simons began dictating play and forced a save from the Villa goalkeeper, while Odobert also tested Bizot with another effort.
The home crowd finally found their voice, roaring their team forward as momentum shifted.
Pedro Porro produced a crucial goal-line clearance to deny Buendia at the other end, keeping Spurs' hopes alive, though Villa ultimately held firm.
The fixture turned ugly after Referee Craig Pawson blew the full-time whistle
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The match had already dealt Spurs another blow when Richarlison pulled up with a hamstring problem in the 31st minute, forcing Frank into an early substitution.
In a desperate attempt to salvage the tie, the manager introduced Dominic Solanke from the bench, marking the striker's first appearance since August.
Despite sustained late pressure, Spurs could not find a way through, and the eight-time FA Cup winners were eliminated at the first hurdle.
Villa advance to the fourth round while Tottenham's season continues to unravel.
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