Why Boubacar Kamara was Aston Villa's unsung hero vs Tottenham

Boubacar Kamara deserves more credit after Aston Villa's win over Tottenham Hotspur.

The Villans beat Spurs 3-2 away from home on Saturday to pick up their first Premier League win of the season.

The victory came after a Carabao Cup win over Coventry City on Wednesday, with some positive vibes now finally flowing in B6.

There were multiple top performers for Unai Emery's side, as Johan Manzambi deservedly stole the headlines for his stellar display.

Villa go into a three-week international break with four points to their name, and four wins in all competitions.

However, a defeat to Tottenham would have left a sour taste in the mouth, as Kamara was arguably the most crucial player for Aston Villa.

The stats that prove Boubacar Kamara's under-the-radar display vs Tottenham

Kamara has been criticised this season, but he, like many other Villa players, have been underperforming.

But the Frenchman held the glue together with his 84-minute display against Spurs, as the statistics prove.

Kamara had an 84 per cent passing accuracy, only misplacing seven of his 43 attempted passes.

He created one big chance in the match, grabbing an assist for Manzambi's opener, arguably the most important goal of the contest.

The midfielder completed 100 per cent of his dribbles, while also successfully hitting three out of three long balls.

The 26-year-old won 100 per cent of his aerial duels, and three duels on the ground, including two tackles and one clearance.

Kamara covered six miles' worth of grass, and while he did his defensive duties, he was a threat going forward, making a total of 10 line-breaking passes.

It was perhaps his best display of the season so far and one where he looked much more like himself.

He had an average FotMob rating of 7.25 in the Premier League last season, and was well above his own standard with a 7.9 performance against Spurs.

What would be a successful season for Kamara?

Kamara has already carried Villa far, but unfortunately was unable to play in the Europa League final last season.

He suffered a knee injury against Crystal Palace in January and was sidelined for the rest of the season.

Kamara previously missed eight months of action in 2024 after he tore his ACL when playing against Manchester United, so it feels like the Villa Park faithful have been robbed of seeing him play sometimes.

The biggest challenge for the midfielder is to stay fit. He's already accomplished lots in B6, but staying injury-free should be his aim this season.