Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
The pressure of a winless streak has finally been lifted from Aston Villa, and they now face the Premier League's main underdog. Could there be a better gift for them? Naturally, Southampton are not pleased with such a characterisation, but what can they do? They'd be happy to grab even a single point.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa endured an eight-match winless stretch from 26 October to 5 December, ending it with a 3:1 triumph over Brentford, a run that spanned three tournaments. After being thrashed by Chelsea (0:3), where Unai Emery failed to convert 1.23 xG, the 3:1 win over Brentford looks impressive: 3:0 at half-time with 1.31 xG, 20 shots, half of them on target. Granted, their opponents often struggle away, but it was a top-notch performance nonetheless.
Southampton
Southampton deserve a poor rating for their last match, as Chelsea handed them a five-goal drubbing. The dismissal of captain and central defender Jack Stephens in the 39th minute undoubtedly impacted the game. The decision to show a straight red for what seemed merely a hand on the shoulder remains contentious. Once they were trailing 1:3, there was little hope left for Southampton. Joe Lumley should perhaps be benched, but Alex McCarthy doesn't offer more reliability. The 35-year-old goalkeeper made a similar costly mistake against Liverpool, among others.
Aston Villa vs Southampton Prediction
The visitors will be without Jack Stephens, but Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Tyler Dibbling, and Flynn Downes return after serving suspensions for an accumulation of yellow cards. Convenient timing indeed, although hopes against Chelsea were slim regardless. Unfortunately, with such defensive issues, Southampton are likely to concede heavily against the Birmingham side as well. Aston Villa are more than capable of scoring three goals, which should assure them of victory.
