Speculation about Aston Villa's future has been in the air for almost three months.

Thanks to Sven Goran Eriksson's unwitting inclination to publicly stick his oar in, Villa were back on top of the agenda again.

But it took Thomas Sorensen to sum up what little effect all that takeover talk has on the pitch.

"We've never thought too much of what goes on in the papers," Sorensen said. "It's not something anyone is really bothered about.

"When it comes to the games, it doesn't change our agenda on the pitch, it doesn't change the tactics. We still have to go out on and perform. We try to put in the performances that keep things positive on the pitch and then the results will sort themselves out."

Words were backed up by Sorensen's heroic deeds. Three fine saves in each half added up to arguably the Dane's finest display for Villa. But, having missed last season's 5-1 thumping on the same ground through injury, he modestly played down the difference he made to this visit to North London.

He said: "Sometimes, you just feel you're not going to be beaten and things were on my side. I was on form and I had that bit of luck as well.

"Even in the warm-up, I just had a good feeling and that it helped when I made an early save. It's always important to get a good first touch and have a good feel of the ball.

"But you also need luck and that close-range save from Teemu Tainio was that. Another time, he slips it down the side and you've got no chance but you just need to get the odd break. I was pleased to make some good saves."

But Sorensen was the difference between Villa turning the tide after last week's home defeat to West Ham and suffering a repeat of the defeat at White Hart Lane eight months ago.

"I'm not denying that," manager David O'Leary said, "Thomas Sorensen made some good saves all righ but, by his standards, it was just what I expected.That's why he's in there and it had to be a great effort from someone.

"We put ourselves under a lot of pressure by not keeping the ball but Spurs are a good side and, all in all, we can be pleased with it.

"Olof Mellberg and Mark Delaney were also superb. You need your goalkeeper and your two centre-halves to play well when you play a team like Spurs."

Gareth Barry's late red card means he automatically misses Saturday's FA Cup tie with Port Vale, having only just returned from a one-match ban. Yet O'Leary will take his stand-in left-back's second suspension in a fortnight on the chin.

He said: "I haven't seen it properly to think about complaining but I wouldn't anyway. The last time I complained about this ref (Graham Poll), it cost me five grand and the wife didn't get her Christmas present!"