Tottenham Hotspur will be looking for their third straight Premier League victory when they travel to a struggling Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.
Spurs have picked up seven points from their last three matches to move to within four points of fourth-placed Chelsea in the table, while Villa currently occupy 17th position in the division.
Match preview
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Seven wins and four draws from 25 matches this season has seen Villa collect 25 points, leaving them 17th in the Premier League table ahead of their clash with Jose Mourinho's side.
Norwich City are just starting to be cut adrift at the bottom, but there are only three points between 19th-placed Watford and Brighton & Hove Albion in 15th, which is an indication of the type of season it has been.
Villa have had their moments this term, but there is no getting away from the fact that they have the joint-worst defensive record in the division alongside Norwich with 47 conceded.
Dean Smith's side do have an EFL Cup final to look forward to at the start of next month, but they have only won one of their last four in the league and suffered a damaging 2-1 loss at Bournemouth last time out.
Jack Grealish will once again be looking to impress for Villa as the speculation surrounding the Englishman continues. Indeed, Manchester United are thought to be interested in signing the 24-year-old, who has managed seven goals and five assists in 23 Premier League outings this term.
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Tottenham, though, will certainly enter Sunday's match in the better form. Mourinho's time at the club has been far from perfect but successive wins over Norwich City and Manchester City have put them in a good position.
Indeed, they are now just four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea in the table and will have the chance to cut that gap to a single point as the Blues are not in action until Monday night against Manchester United.
It would be some turnaround if Mourinho could lead Spurs to a top-four finish when considering their issues in the early stages of the campaign under a certain Mauricio Pochettino.
Tottenham are without an away win in the league since December 15, though, and only have the 14th-best record on their travels in the top flight this term, picking up just 11 points from 12 matches.
The capital outfit have won 10 of their last 11 meetings with Villa in all competitions, however, including a 3-1 success at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this season.
Aston Villa Premier League form: LWLDWL
Aston Villa form (all competitions): DLDWWL
Tottenham Premier League form: DLLDWW
Tottenham form (all competitions): WDWDWW
Team News
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Villa will again be without the services of John McGinn, Tom Heaton, Jed Steer and Wesley, while Keinan Davis is facing two to three weeks out with a hamstring problem.
Central defender Ezri Konsa is available having recovered from the thigh injury that he sustained against Bournemouth, though, and should again line up in a back three.
Grealish and Anwar El Ghazi, meanwhile, are likely to support January signing Mbwana Samatta, who got off the mark in terms of goals for his new club at the Vitality Stadium.
As for Tottenham, Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko and Juan Foyth are still on the treatment table, while Erik Lamela faces a late fitness test as he looks to overcome a thigh issue.
Giovani Lo Celso is available following a groin problem, though, and the Argentina international could line up alongside Harry Winks and Tanguy Ndombele in the middle of the park.
Lucas Moura and Son Heung-min could again be joined in attack by January arrival Steven Bergwijn, while Japhet Tanganga should get the nod at left-back over Ryan Sessegnon.
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Reina; Hause, Mings, Engels; Guilbert, Nakamba, Luiz, Targett; Grealish, Samatta, El Ghazi
Tottenham possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Tanganga; Lo Celso, Winks, Ndombele; Lucas, Son, Bergwijn
We say: Aston Villa 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham will fancy their chances of putting another win on the board, but the London outfit have struggled on their travels this season. Villa have won five of their seven league matches this season on home soil, meanwhile, and we are expecting a low-scoring draw on Sunday afternoon.
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