SOU vs AVL
Match Centre
SOU vs AVL As It Happened
Key moments so far
- Ralph Hasenhüttl's side move ten points clear of the drop zone
- Stuart Armstrong netted the decider in stoppage time
- Saints carried their lead into the half-time break
- Shane Long broke the deadlock after good work from Moussa Djenepo
Saints clinch home win over Villa
An early goal from Shane Long and a late one from Stuart Armstrong were enough to secure Southampton’s first league double under Ralph Hasenhüttl. Our report.
FULL-TIME: Saints 2-0 Villa
Three points are ours! A fantastic win for Ralph Hasenhüttl's side, with goals scored by Shane Long and Stuart Armstrong. Entirely deserved - Saints move ten points clear of the drop zone as a result.
THAT SEALS IT
Saints break, it's a fantastic ball from Adams to spot Armstrong on the run. He's nearly ran the length of the pitch to latch onto the pass, with the goal gaping, and slots into an empty net.
GOOOAL!!!
Stuart Armstrong (+4’) | 2 – 0
Villa corner
Won by Grealish. Everyone back for Saints. Reina is up for Villa and they're caught short at the back...
4 minutes added...
Saints continue to lead, but will need to see out four minutes of additional time to claim the points...
Yellow Card for Frederic Guilbert (Aston Villa)
Nervy end
It's end to end here. Højbjerg does well to dispossess Grealish, sets away Obafemi who rounds Luiz but runs out of energy. Game has really opened up.
Adams denied once more
Obafemi had run down the ball and collided with Reina, it came lose and Adams hit it goalward but it was blocked by the frame of Hause.
Solid Premier League debut 👊
Adams fires wide
So close to a first Saints goal for the substitute. He links well with Armstrong, turns and shoots from distance. But it's marginally off target.
Yellow Card for José Reina (Aston Villa)
For a foul on Long.
Reina denies Bertrand
Armstrong works the ball to the full-back, who shoots, but the sting was taken out of it by Hause.
Bright spell from Villa
Samatta forces a corner off Jack Stephens, which is taken short to Grealish. He tries to force a pass across the six yard line but there's plenty of red and white shirts in his way.
Wayward from Djenepo
He's having a real impact on the game from wide left, as he cuts inside and shoots with his right. Off target this time. Højbjerg tries his luck in the next wave of attack and forces another good save from Reina.
Stephens chance
He latches onto a wonderful delivery from Bertrand, but hooks his effort narrowly over the bar. Saints in ascendance again, as Armstrong sneaks in behind, in front of Reina, but hits the side netting from a tight angle.
Lovely play
The hosts beginning the second half much in the same way as they ended the previous one. Prowsey with another corner, which Højbjerg met and deflected off Marvelous. Ings with the follow up, blocked.
Djenepo intercepts
And sets Saints on their way. He plays it wide to Long, who hit a first time pass towards the runners infield. Luiz stretches a leg to deal with it, and diverts the ball for a corner.
Ready for the second half?
We are! Saints get us back under way. No changes for either side. Shane Long's goal remains the difference...
HALF-TIME: Saints 1-0 Villa
Very productive first 45 from the hosts. Dominated in every sense of the word. Shane Long with the opener, and could have been more after chances fell the way of Djenepo and Ings. Just the one goal separating the sides at the break.
Yellow Card for Ezri Konsa Ngoyo (Aston Villa)
For a foul on Djenepo.
Strong finish
The hosts ending the half strongly. They've dominated possession for the majority of the first 45 minutes. Bertrand's corner is the latest chance, calls for hand ball, but nothing given.
Long slices wide
Superb midfield play from Armstrong, who runs at the Villa defence and forces them to retreat. Options to his left and right, he chooses to play Long wide right, but the forward slices wide.
🤕
Wild from Bertrand
Bednarek calmly brings the ball down and plays it into the path of the full-back. He shoots but blazes the effort way over the bar.
Samatta has the ball in the net
He latches onto a through ball from Grealish, and slot past McCarthy, but the flag was up early. Good line from Saints.
Grealish free-kick
Dangerous position, edge of the Saints 18 yard. Djenepo has re-entered the field of play having been bandaged up. Villa free-kick comes to nothing and Saints have regained possession.
Djenepo receiving treatment
Break in play as Moussa Djenepo clashes with Marvelous and is down receiving treatment. Looks to have a cut above his eye.
Holding his own
Will Smallbone competing well in midfield. Saints looking comfortable in possession, but should having a larger advantage after creating chances aplenty.
Saints pressurising
Another chance for a second goal goes begging. Pepe Reina with his third big save of the half. This time he denies Djenepo with a big left hand - although Ings looked to be offside in the build up.
Glorious chance
Opportunity for Saints to double their lead. Ings gets the first chance, but Reina stands tall and saves with his legs. The ball eventually breaks to Djenepo eight yards from goal, but he blazes over.
📸
Picture perfect! Danny Ings celebrates with Shane Long, having scored the home side's opener.
Grealish fouled
Prowsey rather heavy handed with the midfielder, and fouls him. Free-kick given, nothing more. He's keeping close tabs on the Villa captain.
Lovely turn from Djenepo
The winger fashions a chance from almost nothing, rolling Luiz in midfield and releasing Bertrand. He didn't have much by way of support so elected to shoot, and hit the side netting. It's all Saints currently.
Corner
Matt Targett wins a corner for the visitors. Swung in by captain Jack Grealish, attacked by a host of bodies in light blue but ultimately punched away by Alex McCarthy. Saints break with Højbjerg, but the opportunity is wasted.
DEADLOCK BROKEN
Djenepo gets to the byline and pulls the ball back for Longy at the near post, it almost hits him and goes in - but right place right time and Saints lead!
GOOOAL!!!
Shane Long (8’) | 1 – 0
Smallbone strikes the post
Djenepo worked the ball well to the youngster, making his Premier League debut, and his shot takes a deflection and then hits the woodwork. Resulting corner doesn't come to much.
Prowsey special
The midfielder, filling in at full-back today, whips the ball to the near post. It's again headed by Mings, out for a corner. Bertrand this time crosses centrally but again it's cleared.
Smallbone wins a free-kick
Promising area too, having snuck the ball through the legs of Douglas Luiz. Ward-Prowse delivers from wide right and it's met by the head of Tyrone Mings. Half chance for Saints.
We're under way
Formalities complete and the visitors get us up and running. Jack Grealish is first on the assault, before Stuart Armstrong gets a sniff of a chance up the other end.
14.26hopefully he can play without being too nervous, and show what he can do. he must stick to the plan and i think, if he does, he will have a good game today.
ralph hasenhüttlon the inclusion of will smallbone
ASTON VILLA TEAM
Starting XI: Reina (GK), Luiz, Targett, El Ghazi, Hause, Mings, Konsa, Samatta, Guilbert, Marvelous, Grealish (c).
Subs: Nyland (GK), Drinkwater, Hourihane, Trézéguet, Bastón, Engels, El Mohamady.
14.23Premier League debut incoming...
Will Smallbone makes his full Premier League bow against Aston Villa today, accompanying captain Pierre-Emile Højbjerg in midfield! 👏
SAINTS XI CONFIRMED 🚨
Starting XI: McCarthy (GK), Stephens, Bednarek, Ward-Prowse, Bertrand, Højbjerg (c), Smallbone, Djenepo, Armstrong, Ings, Long.
Get clued up 🤓
It’s back to back home games for Southampton as we take on Aston Villa at St Mary's. Get ready for the game with our Match Pack, in association with eToro...
13.49South coast clubs collide 🤜🤛
Southampton's Under-23s played AFC Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium last night. Check out highlights from the game...
12.4512.42In every position we have two players and there are a few young guys who are pushing to get a chance. so the atmosphere is good.
ralph hasenhüttlon the shape of his squad
Hasenhüttl assesses Villa test 🗣
The manager looks ahead to today's Premier League visit of Aston Villa...
12.41MATCHDAY 😍
Welcome to another St Mary's matchday! Today Saints host Aston Villa, having just fallen short against Burnley a week prior. The visitors come into the tie off the back of a 3-2 loss to Spurs, where Son scored a last gasp winner. We'll have all the build up to kick-off, team news, and live in-game updates. Stay tuned...
11.32SOU vs AVL Line Ups
Southampton
1 |
Alex McCarthy (GK)
|
---|---|
16 |
James Ward-Prowse
|
5 |
Jack Stephens
|
21 |
Ryan Bertrand
|
35 |
Jan Bednarek
|
12 |
Moussa Djenepo
|
17 |
Stuart Armstrong
|
23 |
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (C)
|
27 |
William Smallbone
Oriol Romeu (80′)
|
9 |
Danny Ings
Michael Obafemi (73′)
|
7 |
Shane Long
Che Adams (73′)
|
Substitutes
10 |
Che Adams |
---|---|
43 |
Yan Valery |
28 |
Angus Gunn |
19 |
Sofiane Boufal |
4 |
Jannik Vestergaard |
14 |
Oriol Romeu |
20 |
Michael Obafemi |
Aston Villa
29 |
Pepe Reina (GK)
|
---|---|
40 |
Tyrone Mings
|
30 |
Kortney Hause
|
15 |
Ezri Konsa Ngoyo
Conor Hourihane (59′)
|
24 |
Frederic Guilbert
|
11 |
Marvelous Nakamba
Borja Bastón (81′)
|
18 |
Matt Targett
|
6 |
Douglas Luiz
|
21 |
Anwar El Ghazi
Trézéguet (28′)
|
20 |
Mbwana Samatta
|
10 |
Jack Grealish (C)
|
Substitutes
19 |
Borja Bastón |
---|---|
17 |
Trézéguet |
14 |
Conor Hourihane |
4 |
Daniel Drinkwater |
25 |
Ørjan Nyland |
27 |
Ahmed El Mohamady |
22 |
Björn Engels |
SOU vs AVL Match Stats
Head to Head Stats

-
Possession (%)4654
-
Shots284
-
Shots on target91
-
Corners96
-
Passes Complete234295