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...
THE MATCH
Southampton v Aston Villa
St Mary’s Stadium
Saturday 22nd February, 3:00pm GMT
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistants: Richard West, Nick Hopton
Fourth official: Keith Stroud
VAR: Simon Hooper
Assistant VAR: Andrew Halliday
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
After good starts to the year, consecutive Premier League defeats has stalled the momentum for both sides in 2020.
Saints look to bounce back after defeat to Burnley and Aston Villa sit just one point outside the relegation zone after last week’s late defeat to Tottenham.
In the calendar year so far, Villa have won twice in the Premier League but have reached the final of the Carabao Cup whereas Saints have three victories to their name.
TEAM NEWS
Saints boss Ralph Hasenhüttl will be without trio Nathan Redmond, Sofiane Boufal and Kyle Walker-Peters. Redmond is expected to be out for a minimum of a month with Boufal and Walker-Peters hopefully returning to the squad for the trip to West Ham next Saturday.
Villa Manager Dean Smith will have defender Tyrone Mings to select after the 26 year-old overcame tonsillitis but he will be without Keinan Davis.
Midfielder John McGinn is a doubt for the game with Smith saying they're taking his return on a day by day basis.
FORM GUIDE
Southampton:
Burnley (h) 1-2 (Ings)
Tottenham (a) 2-3 (Long, Ings) FA Cup
Liverpool (a) 0-4
Tottenham (h) 1-1 (Boufal) FA Cup
Crystal Palace (a) 2-0 (Redmond, Armstrong)
Aston Villa:
Tottenham (h) 2-3 (Alderweireld OG, Engels)
Bournemouth (a) 1-2 (Samatta)
Leicester City (h) 2-1 (Targett, Hassan) Carabao Cup
Watford (h) 2-1 (Luiz, Mings)
Brighton and Hove Albion (a) 1-1 (Grealish)
THE MANAGERS
Ralph Hasenhüttl: "We had a very good time over Christmas and now, after the last two games when we didn't play bad but didn't get points, we must find back how to win points again and we can do this also at home."
Dean Smith: “We have to concentrate on ourselves and put that pressure onto Southampton and their supporters. If we play to the capabilities that have got, we are a match for anyone."
ONES TO WATCH
Danny Ings: It’s hard to look past the striker who now has six goals in his last eight home outings as well as 15 Premier League goals making him the joint third top goalscorer behind Jamie Vardy and Sergio Aguero.
Jack Grealish: The 24-year-old is leading the stats at Villa Park this season with nine goals and eight assists to his name.
The attacker has been at the heart of the team this season and will be the creative force hoping to take Villa away from the relegation zone.
TOP PERFORMERS:
Southampton:
Goals:
Danny Ings 18
Nathan Redmond 4
James Ward-Prowse 4
Assists:
James Ward-Prowse 4
Jack Stephens 3
Danny Ings 3
Aston Villa:
Goals:
Jack Grealish 9
Conor Hourihane 7
Anwar El Ghazi 6
Assists:
Jack Grealish 8
Anwar El Ghazi 6
Henri Lansbury 5
HEAD TO HEAD
Played 77
Saints 26
Draw 23
Aston Villa 28
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
December 2019: Aston Villa 1-3 Saints (Ings x2, Stephens)
April 2016: Aston Villa 2-4 Saints (Long, Tadic x2, Mane)
December 2015: Saints 1-1 Aston Villa (Romeu)
October 2015: Saints 2-1 Aston Villa (Yoshida, Pelle)
May 2015: Saints 6-1 Aston Villa (Mane x3, Long x2, Pelle)
DID YOU KNOW?
- Southampton have won their last two Premier League games against Aston Villa, last winning three in a row in November 2000.
- Southampton striker Shane Long has been directly involved in 10 goals in his last seven Premier League starts against Aston Villa (6 goals, 4 assists), scoring twice and assisting twice in his only previous start against them at St. Mary’s in May 2015.
NOT AT THE GAME?
Not able to join us at St Mary’s? We have you covered! Across our channels we’ll bring you all the action, as well as a host of behind-the-scenes access.
Check out our interactive match centre at southamptonfc.com, with all of the live in-game updates and free audio commentary of the match, and be sure to follow us on social media for further updates and exclusive content:
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