The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium played host to a captivating FA Cup third-round clash between Tottenham and Aston Villa on January 10, 2026. This all-Premier League encounter promised drama, with Tottenham seeking a morale-boosting victory amidst a challenging run of form.
Spurs entered the match following a 3-2 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth, leaving them in 14th place in the league. The FA Cup represented a significant opportunity for the North London side to end their 18-year domestic trophy drought. Adding to the pressure, speculation surrounded manager Thomas Frank's future, making the outcome of the match crucial.
Aston Villa, managed by Unai Emery, have been enjoying a strong season, including a 2-1 league victory over Tottenham earlier in the season. Although they were held to a draw by Crystal Palace in their last outing, they were considered favorites heading into the FA Cup tie.
The match kicked off at 5.45pm GMT and was broadcast live in the UK on BBC One and TNT Sports 1. Streaming options were also available via BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website, and the discovery+ app for TNT Sports subscribers.
Tottenham marked the occasion by wearing a special kit commemorating the 125th anniversary of their historic 1901 FA Cup win as a non-league side.
The Tottenham team line-up was: Vicario; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Davies; Palhinha, Gray; Tel, Xavi, Odobert; Richarlison. The substitutes were: Kinsky, Dragusin, Udogie, Solanke, Spence, Kolo Muani, Scarlett, Byfield, Williams-Barnett.
Tottenham was without key players due to injury and international duty. Mohammed Kudus is expected to be out until after the March international break, and Rodrigo Bentancur is sidelined with a hamstring injury. Lucas Bergvall was also being assessed after picking up a muscle injury in the Bournemouth game. James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke remain sidelined. Aston Villa were without Amadou Onana due to a hamstring injury.
