Aston Villa increased the pressure on under-fire Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank with a battling victory in their FA Cup third-round meeting.
The visitors established the platform for the success by taking a two-goal lead at half-time, with Emiliano Buendia and Morgan Rogers on target.
Spurs, who lost Richarlison to a 31st-minute hamstring injury, improved vastly after the break and Wilson Odobert gave them hope when he pulled a goal back nine minutes after the restart.
But Villa held the hosts at bay to send the eight-time winners out, with ugly scenes at the final whistle as players from both sides clashed, Spurs players seemingly unhappy with Rogers’ celebrations in front of the elated visiting support.
Unai Emery’s men were dominant early on, Buendia taking advantage of good work by Donyell Malen to end a slick move with a powerful finish in the 22nd minute.
Rogers doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time, finding space and time in the area from Buendia’s clever flick to fire a low strike past Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario.
Spurs fans reacted furiously at the half-time whistle, but were encouraged by the attacking intent shown by Frank’s side in the second period.
Odobert gave them a lifeline with a low drive beyond Marco Bizot for his second goal for the club.
Spurs piled on the pressure, but failed to test Bizot enough and Pedro Porro kicked off the line to deny Buendia at the other end.
As they celebrated a place in the fourth round, Spurs’ crisis deepened with just two wins in 13 games.
Spurs left the pitch at half-time to deafening jeers from their supporters as, for all their endeavours, they were overpowered and outclassed by a vastly superior Villa side.
Wearing a special edition home kit to commemorate their 1901 FA Cup win, they offered nothing special in their performance.
The atmosphere had the potential to turn increasingly toxic given the mood around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – but Frank’s side at least offered some encouragement by increasing the tempo and troubling Villa after the break.
In the end, however, the manner in which they were brushed aside by Villa in the opening phase meant there was no way back as Spurs, and Frank, suffered yet another damaging loss.
The game ended in chaos as both sides were involved in a bust-up and had to be separated.
But when the dust settles, Spurs will reflect on a disappointing early FA Cup exit – their first at this stage since losing to Arsenal in the 2013-14 campaign – that only increases scrutiny on the struggling Frank.
As well as poor results, the Dane has enjoyed little luck. His hopes of getting Spurs’ season back on track suffered a blow when Brazil striker Richarlison suffered a hamstring injury in a race for possession with Ezri Konsa.
The second period was better – and a welcome return to action for Dominic Solanke after a five-month absence – but Spurs were dreadful in the opening half.
This was another day of suffering for Frank and the supporters who appear to have little faith in their head coach to revive their fortunes.
Aston Villa’s comfort in taking a two-goal lead almost led to a slip-up against a vastly inferior Spurs side.
They were deservedly in command, but a complacent and sloppy start after the break offered the home side hope when there should have been none.
Emery’s team were too classy and too powerful for Spurs in a dominant opening, a superiority emphasised by two outstanding team goals from Buendia and Rogers.
Villa carved Spurs up far too easily, but just when it looked like they would cruise into the fourth round they took their foot off the pedal, threatening to undo all their earlier good work.
Instead of calm, Villa suddenly panicked in defence, giving the hosts and supporters belief that a comeback could be fashioned from the wreckage of the first half.
They showed some fight to regain their composure as they added this to their list of notable victories this term, completing a double at Spurs having also beaten them in the league back in October.
