This was a game that Tottenham had to win, they had to play good football and they had to show some character. They did all three when it mattered.

Nuno Espirito Santo knew that should Spurs lose to an in-form Aston Villa side, particularly if they didn't show much ambition on the pitch in front of the 53,076 fans inside the stadium, then it would be a very uncomfortable international break.

The Portuguese probably feared the worst when Ollie Watkins fired home an equaliser for the visitors against the run of play with just over 20 minutes to play.

That's because Spurs and mental fragility went hand in hand in September and it was something the head coach had constantly referred to as a real problem they needed to fix.

Yet this time his Tottenham players reacted in the right way. Within minutes they were back in the lead as Son Heung-min drove them up the pitch and forced an own goal that would prove to be the winner.

After the game Dean Smith said the difference between the two teams was Son. He was being generous to his own players and unfair on some of Tottenham's.

Son was indeed unplayable at times and the South Korean was rampant in the second half. One moment late on, when he took the ball from a corner into the penalty box and then back out again in order to keep it at a crucial time was remarkable to watch and showcased a top player full of confidence.

However, to say this day was all about Son would be unfair.

Tottenham could have won the game by a far bigger scoreline had their finishing been better.

Son, Harry Kane, Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele and Emerson Royal all had chances to add to Spurs' tally, some of them numerous ones.

Emerson in particular had an excellent game at right-back, showing that he can handle the physical demands of defending in the Premier League with some brave tackles, headers and interceptions.

At the other end of the pitch, he had a shot blocked in front of goal and ran into plenty of good areas in the Villa half, but his decision-making just let him down sometimes when in those good positions.

Espirito Santo urged caution when asked about the Brazilian right-back by football.london but admitted there were plenty of positives in his performance.

"Alasdair, I think we have to be very patient with all the players. I honestly think he has to improve. He had a good game. He was stable, especially in the way that he controlled the width," he said.

"He was really good going forward. I think he had moments when he should have decided better when he was in the box, but not only Emerson, I think all the team, it was important for us.

"Today was very important for us, all the boys, the fans and the way the team played, I think we should be proud."

Oliver Skipp was also an important cog back in the Spurs midfield. The England U21 international, other than an other iffy yellow card, helps give Tottenham a more solid foundation.

He did not start in the defeats against Chelsea and Arsenal and he was missed.

Skipp's work also frees up Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to offer up the more attacking side to his game, which was showcased at the Euros, and the Dane already trusts that Skipp has got his back if he gets stuck up the pitch.

Hojbjerg's run with Son and low curling finish for Spurs' first was a reminder of the quality that he and the team possess when they get their confidence up.

At the back, Watkins' goal was the only disappointing blot on the copybook of what had been an excellent performance from the two centre-backs.

Eric Dier made interceptions, blocks and tackles galore, while with every passing game, Cristian Romero is looking like the missing link in Tottenham's defence.

The 23-year-old has the ability to read the game, allied with high technical ability, which could well mark the Serie A Defender of the Year out as a big player for Tottenham for years to come.

The Argentine is aggressive in the tackle when he needs to be to force the play, yet has a composure in his interceptions. It was one of his interceptions that culminated in Tottenham's opening goal, which has Espirito Santo roaring in delight.

The only time the aggression outweighed the composure was in a late lunge in the build-up to Villa's goal, which left him out of position and subsequently Dier as his team-mate came across to cover.

That was a rare moment out of sync though in a performance that had far more positives.

Romero will head off now on international duty when, as you watch him limp occasionally after challenges, you wonder whether he just needs some time to rest that knee, which has been giving him problems since the Copa America final.

At least he will be able to train and play, while staying at Hotspur Way, on his return from Argentina duty this time following the government's change to the exemptions for players heading to red-listed countries.

On the whole Spurs' defence dealt well with Villa's attacks and Hugo Lloris barely had a save to make.

Before the game, Lloris was tested thoroughly in the warm-up as his fellow goalkeepers Pierluigi Gollini and Brandon Austin hit deep balls into the six-yard box and goalkeeper coach Rui Barbosa jostled with Lloris to put him off trying to catch or punch the ball away.

It was preparation for the long throws of Matt Cash, which are comparable to Rory Delap at his peak, as he hurls flat long balls into the danger area.

On the day though, Lloris' defenders and the likes of Kane and Lucas got their head to many of the throws. Spurs were prepared for the tactic and it showed.

This was a performance and a result that Tottenham needed and there was plenty of good football on display.

The players let themselves down seven days beforehand at the Emirates Stadium and many of them looked to be trying to make amends and having taken the blame for them that day, Espirito Santo's gameplan also worked.

Both the players and the head coach had to come out fighting amid plenty of criticism of their performances and methods and they had to do so against an in-form Villa side that had seen of Everton and Manchester United in their past two games.

"We are aware we have been through a tough moment," he told Sky Sports after the victory.

"When the players gel and combine they can do very well. We have to find the balance between the defensive and attacking part of the game.

"All the players did well, we have talented players and when they are confident, they are unstoppable."

The Spurs head coach looked a contented man long after the game had finished as he walked around the pitch with the club's technical performance director Steve Hitchen on their way back to the coach to Hotspur Way.

The latter was speaking to someone on a video call and Espirito Santo was waving at them from the background. From afar it looked like a victorious call to family members and it was a day when the staff and players deserved to enjoy the aftermath.

Spurs had an unbeaten August, a dreadful September in the league and now they have started October with a victory.

The last international break interrupted Tottenham's momentum and it brought with it problems and players absences aplenty.

Espirito Santo will be hoping that this break is different, that the corner has been turned again and he can enjoy many more happy phone calls home.