Tottenham scored twice in nine minutes to beat Aston Villa at White Hart Lane

Steven Caulker celebrates

Tottenham scored twice in nine minutes to set up a comfortable 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at White Hart Lane.

Steven Caulker (58) netted from close range to put the hosts in front and Aaron Lennon used his pace to get into the box and score the second.

Spurs made the breakthrough as Gareth Bale's corner found Jermain Defoe who took a touch before taking a crack at goal where the ball inadvertently came off Caulker's heel and into the net.

Villa were breeched once more when wide man Lennon burst into the box on to a Clint Dempsey cut-back and dispatched his angled shot past Brad Guzan to secure the points.

Another talking point from the match was the English top flight debut of Hugo Lloris at the expense of Brad Friedel who, after a record run of 310 consecutive Premier League starts, dropped to the bench.

Bale curled an early shot just wide and Defoe fired over the bar from close range before Jan Vertonghen was inches away from turning another effort over the line as Tottenham took the game to Villa.

After the goals Dempsey should have put the game beyond doubt 15 minutes from the end, but he somehow missed a free header from eight yards.

Three minutes later Villa's Joe Bennett was carried off on a stretcher after clattering in to the advertising boards.

Bale lashed another powerful drive inches wide of a sprawling Guzan and the Villa keeper did well to push a Moussa Dembele shot on to the bar in the dying minutes.