Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Aston Villa vs Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday.
Team news
Aston Villa have no fresh injury concerns ahead of their home game against fellow strugglers Southampton. Tyrone Mings and Keinan Davis remain out with hamstring troubles, but both players could return before the end of the year. Jed Steer (Achilles) is also still absent.
Club captain James Chester returned for his first game in 325 days against Liverpool in midweek and the defender is available again on Saturday.
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A look at some of the key stats surrounding this weekend's Premier League action, including Chelsea's game with Tottenham and Leicester's trip to Manchester City
Southampton will not risk midfielder Moussa Djenepo, who is carrying a hamstring problem, while defender Kevin Danso has been laid low by illness. Winger Sofiane Boufal continues to recover from a stubbed big toe, but could still be in the squad.
Full-back Yan Valery has been sidelined by a viral infection, so will need more time to regain full fitness and is not expected to be back until early 2020.
How to follow
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from West Ham's win against Southampton in the Premier League
Follow the action with our dedicated live blog. Highlights of the game will be published at 5.15pm on Saturday on the Sky Sports website and app plus the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.
Opta stats
- Aston Villa are winless in their last five Premier League meetings with Southampton (D3 L2), with this their first meeting since a 2-4 home defeat in April 2016.
- Since they returned to the Premier League in 2012, Southampton are unbeaten in their four top-flight away games against Aston Villa (W2 D2). Saints scored as many goals in their last such game at Villa Park as they had in their previous eight combined (4).
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Sheffield United's win against Aston Villa in the Premier League
- Aston Villa are looking to avoid losing four consecutive league matches for the first time since a run of five in February 2017 in the Championship.
- If Southampton fail to win, they'll be in the relegation zone at Christmas in the Premier League for the first time since 2004-05, when they suffered the drop at the end of the season. However, only Sunderland (3) and Wigan (3) have avoided relegation having been in the drop zone at Christmas in the competition than Saints (2 - in 1993-94 and 1998-99).
- Southampton haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their last 12 Premier League games - no side is currently on a longer run without one in the competition.
- Excluding penalties, Aston Villa have conceded a Premier League high 10 goals from set-piece situations this season. Meanwhile, six of Southampton's last eight goals in the competition have come from a set-piece.
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Highlights of the Carabao Cup quarter-final between Aston Villa and Liverpool
- Aston Villa have faced more shots than any other Premier League side this season (312), while they also have a higher expected goals against value than any other side (33.87). Their record of 18.4 shots faced per game is the most in a Premier League campaign since Reading in 2012-13 (18.6).
- Excluding own goals, 15 of Southampton's 18 Premier League goals this season have been netted by English players, the highest ratio in the division (83%). Indeed, each of their last 13 strikes have been netted by Englishmen.
- Of the 16 sides to have taken a penalty in the Premier League this season, Aston Villa are the only one yet to score from the spot, with Wesley missing against Norwich and Jack Grealish missing against Sheffield United last time out.
- Danny Ings is Southampton's top Premier League goalscorer this season with nine goals, and could become just the third player to reach double figures for the club before Christmas in a season in the competition (Matt Le Tissier 1994-95, James Beattie 2002-03).
Charlie's prediction
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Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is quizzed about being "serenaded" at the club’s Christmas party by board member Katharina Liebherr!
If ever Aston Villa needed a boost, it is now. I watched Villa last week and thought they were half-decent. John McGinn has gone quiet, while Jack Grealish is doing well - the midfield is struggling and they are rash in their decision-making in defence.
Wesley has to be the target man as that is how he wants to work, but he does not actually link up with the play. Because of that you have Jonathan Kodjia, who scored twice in the week, but he does not want to run either. What do you do here? Wesley scored at the death against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup and he is more suited to them. I would still start Kodjia and bring the more energetic and determined Wesley off the bench with 20 minutes to go.
Southampton are too predictable and are relying on Danny Ings too much. Nathan Redmond has the pace and will give them something but not enough, and the wing backs are not strong enough. At the back they are a bag of nerves and their goalkeeping situation is a difficult one too. Fraser Forster has been amazing for Celtic, particularly in the Scottish League Cup final, so he will be wondering what is going on as well. Who do you pick?
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-1 (17/2 with Sky Bet)
Super 6: More misery for Ralph?
Will Southampton get the win to leapfrog their opponents and get themselves out of the drop zone? A hefty 37 per cent of Super 6 players do not think so, predicting a 2-1 win for Aston Villa. What will you predict, with £250k up for grabs?
