Tottenham Hotspur breathed new life into their Premier League survival bid with a crucial 2-1 win over Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday, climbing out of the relegation zone with just three games remaining.

The visitors came flying out of the gates, and it took only 12 minutes for them to break the deadlock. A long throw from Kevin Danso was inadvertently headed into the path of Conor Gallagher by Youri Tielemans, and the English midfielder made no mistake, picking out the bottom corner with a clinical finish that silenced the home crowd.

Spurs nearly doubled their lead moments later when Joao Palhinha unleashed a thunderous long-range effort that rattled the crossbar. The warning signs were there for Villa, and Randal Kolo Muani forced a sharp save from Emiliano Martínez with a well-struck volley soon after.

The pressure finally told in the 25th minute. Mathys Tel delivered a pinpoint cross from the flank, and Richarlison rose highest to power a thumping header past Martínez, giving Spurs a commanding two-goal advantage. Tel almost added a third before halftime, but his curling effort drifted just wide of the far post.

The second half saw both sides struggle to create clear-cut opportunities until the 72nd minute, when Djed Spence drove forward and rolled a shot agonizingly wide of the near post. Martínez was called into action again shortly after, comfortably gathering Danso's looping header from Pedro Porro's corner kick.

Just when it seemed Spurs would cruise to victory, Villa threw a late scare into the visitors. Deep into stoppage time, Emiliano Buendia climbed highest to meet Matty Cash's cross, powering a header past the Tottenham goalkeeper to halve the deficit.

But Spurs held firm in the dying moments to secure a result that moves them a point clear of the drop zone, giving their fans hope of Premier League survival with three vital matches left to play.