Late heartbreak for Saints

premier-league St Mary's Stadium | Sat 21 Jan 3PM | Attendance: 30,158
Match Report post Highlights

SOU vs AVL
Match Centre

SOU vs AVL As It Happened

Key moments so far

  • Ollie Watkins broke the deadlock on 77 minutes
  • James Ward-Prowse 'goal' controversially ruled out by VAR
  • Incident occurred in the 62nd minute
  • Saints aiming for a fourth consecutive win
Photo by Matt Watson

REPORT: Late heartbreak for Saints

Click here to read our report from a frustrating afternoon at St Mary's Stadium.

17.14
Photo by Matt Watson

FULL TIME: Southampton 0-1 Aston Villa

It's all over at St Mary's as Southampton's three-game winning streak comes to an end. They'll wonder how, to some extent, after fine margins swung the game in favour of the visitors. James Ward-Prowse thought he'd opened the scoring but for a controversial VAR decision, before Ollie Watkins, onside by the finest of margins, netted the game's winner not 10 minutes later. 

90+1’

MOUSSA GOES CLOSE!

It's so nearly a wonder goal! Moussa Djenepo brilliantly cuts in from the left and sends a shot towards the top corner, but Emiliano Martínez somehow gets a fingertip to the shot and tips it around the post.

90’

Into stoppage time ⏰

Saints will have four minutes to find an equaliser.

87’

Aston Villa substitution: Leander Dendoncker replaces Douglas Luiz Soares de Paulo

The booked Douglas Luiz is replaced for the final few minutes.

84’

Southampton substitution: Moussa Djenepo replaces Duje Ćaleta-Car

A necessary attacking change for Saints, as Moussa Djenepo takes to the field.

83’

Southampton substitution: Mislav Oršić replaces Adam Armstrong

It's a Premier League debut for Mislav Oršić. 

81’

Yellow Card for Alexandre Moreno Lopera (Aston Villa)

The full-back goes into the book for a shirt pull.

80’

Aston Villa substitution: Matty Cash replaces Leon Bailey

A defensive change for Villa.

Watkins heads home

A deep free-kick swung into the box by Douglas Luiz is headed beyond Gavin Bazunu by Ollie Watkins.

77’

GOAL

Ollie Watkins (77’) | 0 1

Photo by Matt Watson

Heading for a frantic finale

The atmosphere is highly charged inside St Mary's, following the controversial VAR decision to rule out James Ward-Prowse's opener. It's an end-to-end affair here now as we enter the final 15 minutes.

68’

Aston Villa substitution: Philippe Coutinho Correia replaces Emiliano Buendía

A first change for the visitors.

67’

Yellow Card for Douglas Luiz Soares de Paulo (Aston Villa)

The Villa midfielder was booked prior to Southampton's goal being chalked off.

65’

VAR Decision: Goal awarded for Southampton [James Ward-Prowse] was cancelled

It's not going to stand... Boubacar Kamara is adjudged to have been fouled in the box in the build up to James Ward-Prowse's goal. The home crowd are not happy at all having seen a replay on the big screens. 

62’

GOOOAL!!!

James Ward-Prowse (62’) | 1 0

62’

Arma goes close! 😱

James Ward-Prowse's low cross is perfect for Adam Armstrong on the penalty spot, but his driven effort is saved by the legs of Emiliano Martínez.

61’

Southampton substitution: Romain Perraud replaces Samuel Edozie

And the third switch, which sees Kyle Walker-Peters move over to the right-hand side.

60’

Southampton substitution: Mohamed Elyounoussi replaces Roméo Lavia

Well played, Roméo.

60’

Southampton substitution: Sékou Mara replaces Ché Adams

The first of three changes for Saints on the hour-mark.

58’

Villa pressing

It's the visitors who are looking the most likely at the moment, as Emiliano Buendía threatens in the final third.

55’

A stop-start affair

The game's struggling to find any rhythm at the moment, with a series of free-kicks delaying proceedings.

49’

Edozie felled by Moreno

Good perseverance from Sam Edozie, who battles his way past Álex Moreno, who brings him down just outside the box on the right wing.

46’

The second half begins!

We're back up and running at St Mary's! No changes for either side at the break.

Photo by Matt Watson

HALF TIME: Southampton 0-0 Aston Villa

We reach the break (eventually!). In truth, the drone stoppage has been the most dramatic moment of the half, in a game that has lacked cutting edge. Chances were at a premium in the opening 45 minutes, but there's plenty of football left to play in this one after the restart.

45+9’

Bazunu claims

Leon Bailey's free-kick comes off the top of the wall and loops into air, but Boubacar Kamara's header is claimed by Bazunu.

45+8’

Another Villa free-kick

It's a central free-kick this time, 25 yards from goal.

45+7’

We're back in action!

After a seven-minute delay, we're back under way. Villa's free-kick came to nothing.

45+4’

Players returning to the pitch

The players are returning to the pitch at St Mary's, with the drone no longer flying above the stadium. We'll resume with a Villa free-kick in a dangerous position, 25 yards from goal.

42’

Drone stops play

A drone is currently being flown above the stadium, which has resulted in the referee taking both sets of players off of the pitch for safety reasons.

37’

Edozie threatens again

Sam Edozie leaves Álex Moreno once again, but his cross from the byline is straight into the arms of Emiliano Martínez.

34’

Bazunu requires treatment

The Saints keeper has sat down on the pitch, seemingly struggling with an injury to his right leg. Willy Caballero is sent to warm up.

32’

Ramsey penalty claim waved away

Jacob Ramsey looks to roll past Mohammed Salisu in the box and goes to ground, but the referee is quick to wave play on.

30’

Ramsey denied by Bazunu!

It's a great save from Gavin Bazunu. Leon Bailey's low ball goes all the way across to Jacob Ramsey, whose strike is parried well by Bazunu, with Bailey firing the rebound high and wide.

Photo by Matt Watson

💯 Premier League appearances

Kyle Walker-Peters is making his 100th Premier League appearance this afternoon.

25’

GOOOOOAAA - offside 😩

Lyanco's whipped in delivery from the right bypasses Villa's defence and finds Adams inside the box. With the striker off balance, his miscued effort trickles past Emiliano Martínez and is poked over the line by Kyle Walker-Peters, but the linesman's flag is straight up with both Saints players offside.

22’

Almost for Armstrong!

Adam Armstrong beats the offside trap to race towards Roméo Lavia's ball over the top, but Emiliano Martínez sprints outside of his box to get to the ball just before Saints' number nine.

19’

Moreno blasts wide

A ball into the box from Leon Bailey is only half cleared by Gavin Bazunu, but Álex Moreno's eventual shot on his weaker right foot is skewed wide of the target. 

In a battle ⚔️

It's been a tightly contested opening quarter-of-an-hour.

14’

Edozie's okay 🙌

The winger has rejoined play after receiving some treatment and seems okay to continue.

13’

Edozie goes down injured...

The young winger did well to put a challenge in on the advancing Álex Moreno, but stayed down afterwards and requires some treatment.

12’

Yellow Card for Lyanco Vojnovic (Southampton)

Lyanco goes into the book for a late challenge on Tyrone Mings.

7’

Edozie looks sharp ⚡️

The Saints winger collects a James Ward-Prowse diagonal ball and cuts inside Emiliano Buendía, who cuts down the winger to win a free-kick wide out on the right.

6’

Villa penalty appeals

Jacob Ramsey looks to poke the ball around an advanced Gavin Bazunu, but the keeper gets a touch to the ball at the expense of a corner.

5’

Edozie wins a corner

It'll be a first corner of the afternoon, as Sam Edozie does well to win a corner off of Álex Moreno.

2’

Buendía heads wide

An early foray forward for Álex Moreno, whose cross from the left finds Buendía on the edge of the box, but his glancing header drifts harmlessly wide.

0’

Kick off!

We're under way at St Mary's. Come on, lads!

The teams are out!

We're moments away from kick off in this one. The atmosphere is building nicely inside St Mary's!

14.58

Warm-ups ✅

Next up, game time!

14.49

Fans making their way to St Mary's

A little more than half an hour until kick-off here, and the atmosphere is building at St Mary's.

14.25

100 Premier League appearances for KWP

It's a nice milestone for Kyle Walker-Peters this afternoon, with the Saints full-back in line to make his 100th Premier League appearance.

14.16

One change for Saints

Nathan Jones makes one change from the side that beat Everton last weekend, as Adam Armstrong comes into the line-up for Mohamed Elyounoussi, who drops to the bench.

14.06

Aston Villa team

Starting XI: Martinez (captain), A Young, Konsa, Mings, Álex Moreno, Ramsey, Douglas Luiz, Kamara, Buendía, Watkins, Bailey.


Substitutes: Olsen, Sinisalo, Cash, Sanson, Chambers, Coutinho, Dendoncker, Revan, K Young.

14.03

Southampton team confirmed

Starting XI: Bazunu, Lyanco, Ćaleta-Car, Salisu, Walker-Peters, Diallo, Lavia, Ward-Prowse (captain), Edozie, A Armstrong, Adams.


Substitutes: Caballero, Perraud, Maitland-Niles, Djenepo, Elyounoussi, Alcaraz, Oršić, Aribo, Mara.

14.00

Teams coming up at 2pm GMT

Not long until the teamsheets are out. Stick with us and we'll have the news for you here shortly.

13.44

Match Pack: Saints vs Villa

Get the full rundown ahead of today's match by checking out our Match Pack, in association with eToro.

13.29

Flashback: Saints 1-0 Villa (November 2021)

Saints took the points when the teams met at St Mary's last season, thanks to Adam Armstrong's spectacular early goal. Look back on the pick of the action from that game here.

13.17

they have very good players and now they are being more consistent than before. they are in the best moment they've played in the premier league this season. 

unai emery
Villa manager on facing saints
13.06

Checking in at St Mary's

The players make their way into the stadium to get set for this afternoon's match!

12.53

Flashback: Fastest Premier League hat-trick

What a day it was when Saints hosted today's opponents back in May 2015! A 6-1 victory and Sadio Mané scoring the fastest hat-trick in Premier League history – in only two minutes and 56 seconds!

12.32

we've got one or two back from injury, so we're in a much stronger position this week than we were last week.

nathan jones
with a team news update ahead of villa
12.19

Nathan Jones's press conference

The boss spoke with the media at Staplewood Campus yesterday. Find out what he had to say about today's match.

12.10

Matchday: Southampton vs Aston Villa

Good morning from St Mary's!


It's a big day here, as Saints host Aston Villa in the Premier League, with a chance to potentially get out of the bottom three.

Nathan Jones's team have won their last three matches across all competitions and will be hoping to continue that positive run today. We'll be with you throughout the day, with build-up, team news, match updates and free live audio commentary.

11.59

SOU vs AVL Line Ups

Southampton

31
Gavin Bazunu (GK)
22
Mohammed Salisu
2
Kyle Walker-Peters
6
Duje Caleta-Car
replace Moussa Djenepo (84′)
4
Lyanco yellow card
23
Samuel Edozie
replace Romain Perraud (62′)
45
Roméo Lavia
replace Mohamed Elyounoussi (61′)
8
James Ward-Prowse (C)
9
Adam Armstrong
replace Mislav Orsic (84′)
27
Ibrahima Diallo
10
Che Adams
replace Sékou Mara (61′)
18
Sékou Mara
13
Willy Caballero
11
Mislav Orsic
26
Carlos Alcaraz
24
Mohamed Elyounoussi
3
Ainsley Maitland-Niles
7
Joe Aribo
15
Romain Perraud
19
Moussa Djenepo

Aston Villa

1
Emiliano Martínez (GK) (C)
4
Ezri Konsa
18
Ashley Young
15
Álex Moreno yellow card
5
Tyrone Mings
44
Boubacar Kamara
6
Douglas Luiz yellow card
replace Leander Dendoncker (88′)
41
Jacob Ramsey
10
Emiliano Buendía
replace Philippe Coutinho (69′)
31
Leon Bailey
replace Matty Cash (81′)
11
Ollie Watkins goal
2
Matty Cash
23
Philippe Coutinho
38
Viljami Sinisalo
72
Kadan Young
16
Calum Chambers
25
Robin Olsen
8
Morgan Sanson
32
Leander Dendoncker

SOU vs AVL Match Stats

Southampton

Head to Head Stats

Aston Villa
  • Possession (%)
    36
    comparison angle
    64
  • Shots
    8
    comparison angle
    16
  • Shots on target
    5
    comparison angle
    5
  • Corners
    2
    comparison angle
    2
  • Passes Complete
    228
    comparison angle
    456

Top Saints Player Stats

shots on target
Shots On Target
2
Lyanco
Lyanco
chances created
Chances Created
3
James Ward-Prowse
James Ward-Prowse
passes completed
Passes Completed
36
Ibrahima Diallo
Ibrahima Diallo
tackles
Tackles
6
Ibrahima Diallo
Ibrahima Diallo
clearances
Clearances
7
Mohammed Salisu
Mohammed Salisu
saves
Saves
4
Gavin Bazunu
Gavin Bazunu