The 22-year-old winger, who starred as England booked their place at the FIFA World Cup™ earlier this week, scored the opening goal with a 31st-minute cross that crept past Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
Roberto Soldado added a second after half-time as Spurs moved up to fifth place in the table, three points below leaders Arsenal, and began to atone for their shock 3-0 home defeat by West Ham United.
Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor put a half-volley over the bar from an early Leandro Bacuna cross, but heavy rain made for a slippery surface and the game suffered as a result.
Sandro shot straight at Guzan from 30 yards and Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris had to scramble away a free-kick from Ashley Westwood, before the visitors made the breakthrough.
Townsend claimed the goal, but it owed to a certain degree of good fortune. Picking up the ball wide on the right, he cut onto his left foot and attempted to pick out a team-mate in the centre, but his cross eluded both Holtby and Soldado, only to sneak in at the far post.
Andreas Weimann flashed a shot just wide as Villa pushed for an equaliser, but Spurs came close to going 2-0 up in first-half stoppage time when Guzan produced a smart low stop to thwart Townsend.
Another fine save from the American prevented Paulinho from doubling the visitors' advantage early in the second period and the introduction of Benteke gave Villa further reason for optimism.
The burly Belgian international planted a header from a Bacuna cross narrowly over the bar shortly after coming on, but five minutes later, Spurs struck again.
Paulinho's intelligent first-time pass freed Soldado and the Spain striker took a touch before lifting the ball over Guzan to claim his third league goal in a Spurs shirt.
Villa's fight faded, but Townsend refused to leave them in peace. He dispatched a curler that cleared the crossbar by millimetres and then flashed a ball across the face of goal that Paulinho was unable to convert.
Fifa.com
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