Victor Lindelof relishing 'tough' Tottenham test as Aston Villa look to reignite Premier League campaign

Lindelof insists he is ready for a tough game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, even though Villa sit 19th in the table with just one point from four matches. The Swedish defender is determined to ignite a turnaround against a Spurs side that is also struggling, currently sitting in 17th place with only two points. His confidence is backed up by fond memories from last season, when Villa won both of their away trips to Spurs in the Premier League and the FA Cup.

The former Manchester United defender made sure to point out that the dressing room remains calm and united ahead of the weekend. Brushing aside talk of low morale in Unai Emery's squad, Lindelof said: "The mood in the team is good. We haven't had the best start to the season when it comes to points and everything, but I still feel like the mood is good and we're building towards something good as well.

"Obviously, it's going to be a tough game like every single game in the Premier League, but (we're) looking forward to the challenge and we can try and get the three points. That would mean a lot to us, and something we can keep building on. We're all very excited for the game. We haven't got the points we wanted, but there's still a lot of games to be played, and the mood is still good in the camp."

Sitting in the relegation zone feels out of place for a Villa side that has qualified for Europe four seasons in a row. The Sweden captain actually sees the heavy outside pressure as a positive sign that the club is now held to a much higher standard.

Discussing the big expectations on Villa right now, Lindelof added: "The pressure and the responsibility should always be there, and we always want to go into every single game with the mentality of trying to win the game. That shouldn't change, and I think that's a good thing to have as well.

"We have been performing well, and it means people are looking at us as a good team that should be competing every single week and trying to be at the top and winning games. I think that's a good thing for this club and for this squad as well."

This weekend's clash in the capital gives both struggling sides a golden opportunity to kickstart their campaign and leave the relegation zone behind. Juggling domestic and continental commitments means Emery cannot afford to let points slip away during this congested schedule. Leaving London with all three points would immediately lift the mood in the dressing room and help Villa rediscover their top-flight form.