Tottenham Hotspurs' Tom Huddlestone (left) challenges Aston Villa's Gareth Barry during their English Premier League match at White Hart Lane in London on Monday. Villa won 2-1 to move up to fourth place.

Aston Villa kept Tottenham Hotspur bottom of the Premier League on Monday with a deserved 2-1 victory at White Hart Lane.

Villa scored after five minutes through Nigel Reo-Coker and again early in the second half when Ashley Young's shot squirmed under Tottenham's Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.

Darren Bent deflected in a consolation late on for Tottenham which gave a debut to Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, one of several big-money signings in the summer transfer window.

Tottenham applied some late pressure but Villa could have added to its lead on the break with substitute Marlon Harewood denied by a goal line clearance.

Defeat for Tottenham means it has made its worst start to a season for 34 years, having picked up just one point from its first four games.

Juande Ramos' side desperately needed three points to put Spurs' season back on track, but hopes of a UEFA Cup finish, let alone top-four Champions League qualification, look fanciful after defeats from Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Villa.

"It's just the beginning, there is still room for us in the (top four) of the Premier League," Ramos said. "It's important to keep the spirit going and hopefully climb up the table as far as possible.

"We've made an irregular start to the season. Losing three games means we have got an uphill struggle, but we've got a young squad with plenty of quality. Hopefully with calmness and experience things will change and we will get positive results."

Villa meanwhile moved up to fourth spot with seven points from four games.

"We were exceptional tonight and a delight to watch when we play like that," Villa manager Martin O'Neil said. "I thought it was sensational - the first-half performance was unbelievable.

"We can attack, can score goals and are a delight to watch when on form like that. In the second half we got a bit tired, but we deserved to win the game. There are still plenty of failings in our team but we have a big slog ahead of us.

"I was a little bit on edge when they got back to 2-1 because we threw away a substantial lead here last year," O'Neil said.

Tottenham, which came back from 1-4 down to draw 4-4 with Villa last season, made a sluggish start and went behind when Gabriel Agbonlahor was allowed to cross from the left and the ball reached the unmarked Reo-Coker who side-footed past Gomes.

The Brazilian keeper was forced into action to keep his side in the game but the former PSV Eindhoven stopper was badly at fault after 54 minutes when Young's well-struck shot went through his grasp and into the net.

There were few signs of a Tottenham revival although second half substitute Giovanni dos Santos did look lively.

Bent, who wasted one good chance to score, gave Tottenham a glimmer of hope when Jermaine Jenas' shot hit his knee and flew into the net past Villa's American keeper Brad Friedel.

To add to Tottenham's problems Croatian midfielder Luka Modric limped off injured in the first half.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily September 17, 2008)