STATS: Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur

Aston Villa vs. Tottenham Hotspur

– Aston Villa welcome Tottenham to Villa Park looking to continue their 3 match unbeaten run. Tottenham, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing defeat at home to West Ham

– One player Roy Hodgson may look to experiment with in the forthcoming international friendlies is midfielder Fabian Delph. The former Leeds man has been in scintillating form this season, which can be evident in his tackling. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that the central midfielder has attempted 38 challenges, and been successful in 71% of them.

– Delph’s defensive dependability is also clear in the number of interceptions he has made this term. In making 17 interceptions he doubles the tally of his nearest competitor Antonio Luna, who has only managed 8.

– Defender Matthew Lowton has been a near ever-present for Aston Villa since Paul Lambert took the reins, and his ability to find a man in the opposition half has certainly been impressive. The former Sheffield United right back has completed a pass in the opposition half every 2.9 minutes.

– Credit should be given to Ciaran Clark for helping the Villains secure a draw for away to Hull. The Irish centre half made 23 clearances against the Tigers – more than any other player in the league.

– This season, however, skipper Ron Vlaar has overshadowed Clark’s performances. The Dutchman has made 79 defensive contributions (based on clearances, blocks, interceptions and tackles), the most in Paul Lambert’s squad.

– Tottenham succumbed to a disappointing defeat at home to West Ham in the last match before the international break.

– Andros Townsend has certainly made the headlines over the past week for his stellar performances for England, and the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index demonstrates how influential he’s been for Tottenham this campaign. The silky winger has completed 33 dribbles this season, more than any other player in the league.

– The youngster’s hardworking mentality has been praised recently, following his willingness to ply his trade in the lower leagues and develop his game. His positive attitude was on show against West Ham on Saturday, as the team may have been disappointing, but he was still willing to take his full back on – he completed more dribbles than any other player in the league.

– Lewis Holtby might have only been given a proper chance to impress in Europe this year, but he has certainly shown his ability to pass the ball in the few minutes he has played for Spurs in the league. Despite only featuring for 49 minutes, he has completed 39 passes in the opposition half, at an average of a pass every 0.2 minutes.

– Michael Dawson will be desperate to maintain his form this year to try and force his way back into the England fold. The former Nottingham Forest man has made 77 defensive contributions this campaign (based on clearances, blocks, tackles and interceptions). The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index demonstrates that this is more than any other player in the Spurs squad.

– Christian Eriksen has made a positive start to his Tottenham career, with his passing exploits gaining particular recognition. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index also demonstrates that his shooting accuracy has been impressive, as he has hit the target with 80% of his shots.