Tottenham surge ahead of Arsenal with win vs. Aston Villa

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min celebrates scoring their side's fourth goal of the game, completing a hat-trick during the Premier League match at Villa Park. PA Images/Alamy Images

Tottenham Hotspur surge ahead of Arsenal with 4-0 win vs. Aston Villa

By Adam Stites | Last updated 4/9/22

Tottenham Hotspur is in control of fourth place in the Premier League table after a 4-0 win against Aston Villa that was coupled with Arsenal's upset loss to Brighton on Saturday.

Son Heung-min recorded a hat trick in Tottenham's win, scoring goals in the 3rd, 66th and 71st minutes. The other goal was scored by Dejan Kulusevski in the 50th minute.

Hat Trick Son!

Son Heung-Min has a hat trick and Tottenham lead 4-0!

: @NBC, @peacockTV, @NBCUniverso #AVLTOT | #MyPLMorning pic.twitter.com/HIWAslRxMS
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) April 9, 2022

Aston Villa controlled possession for 52 percent of the match Saturday and finished with more shots on goal and corner kicks than Tottenham, but couldn't find the back of the net.

Son, 29, has now scored 17 goals this season, tying his career best, with six of those goals coming in Tottenham's last three Premier League matches. The only other hat trick of his career in Premier League play came in September 2020 when he scored four times against Southampton.

Tottenham struggled through an up-and-down start to the season with five wins and five losses in its first 10 matches. But the team has surged into position to secure one of the four UEFA Champions League berths by winning five of its last six.

Arsenal's 2-1 loss on Saturday was its third in four matches, dropping the team to fifth in the table.

Tottenham now has 57 points on the season and has seven matches remaining, beginning with a home fixture against Brighton next Saturday. Arsenal is at 54 points and still has eight matches left. West Ham and Manchester United are tied for fifth at 51 points each.

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