Spurs had lost their previous three league games by an aggregate scoreline of 9-1 and another defeat would have seen them reach a 17-year low, but Nuno Espirito Santo's men got the job done despite the temporary disappointment of being pegged back by Villa.

Harry Kane was unable to end his dry spell despite going close from the halfway line, meaning he has gone six league games without a goal for the first time in six years.

But Son set up Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg for the first-half opener before providing the ball that Matt Targett turned into his own net under pressure from Lucas Moura for the winner, with Ollie Watkins having equalised for the visitors.

After a lively start without threatening the Villa goal, Spurs first troubled Emiliano Martinez in the 22nd minute as Kane spotted him off his line from about 50 yards, the goalkeeper forced into a desperate save.

Martinez was helpless soon after, though.

Villa squandered possession in midfield and Spurs broke with Son, who passed across the edge of the box to Hojbjerg, the Dane placing his effort into the bottom-right corner.

Chances arrived at both ends early in the second half, but Cristian Romero made an important block to thwart Matt Targett and Son volleyed just over after fine work by Emerson Royal.

Watkins made Spurs pay for not making the most of their superiority, the striker tapping in from Targett's pass.

But Spurs got the winner four minutes later, Son cleverly beating his man before firing across goal for Lucas, whose presence forced Targett to put into his own net.