It felt like a huge result for Tottenham.
West Ham’s 3-0 defeat by Brentford on Saturday opened the door for Spurs to climb out of the bottom three – and Roberto de Zerbi’s side took full advantage at Aston Villa on Sunday.
"I didn't see that coming," said former Villa and Manchester City defender Micah Richards on Match of the Day.
"Aston Villa were poor but, right from the start, Spurs absolutely made the most of it with their desire and intensity. They were exceptional in how they set up. They were really brave.
"Every time we make a prediction, we get it wrong – but West Ham have got it all to do now. Spurs have got a bit of momentum and they have set their standard.
"Roberto de Zerbi deserves a lot of credit. None of his players hid and it's down to him giving them that confidence."
The Premier League's record goalscorer Alan Shearer added: "They won every single tackle, they won every single second ball, and they took the risk out of their game by not playing out from the back in certain circumstances.
"You need every single player at it when in desperate trouble – and Spurs had that. It has been a terrible weekend for West Ham."
Nottingham Forest in 16th have played one game fewer than both Spurs and West Ham and could go six points clear of the drop zone with a win at Chelsea on Monday (15:00 BST).
Leeds United are 14th with 43 points, and Crystal Palace are just below them on goal difference but with a game in hand, so it looks like it’s going to be a three-way battle between Forest, Spurs and West Ham.
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