Relegated Southampton play host to top-four chasing Aston Villa in a Premier League encounter at St Mary’s Stadium.
Victory would see Southampton avoid potentially setting a new record for relegation with the least amount of points, whilst Villa can go fourth if Manchester City slip up at lunchtime.
Team News
Charlie Taylor faces a late fitness check after he missed Southampton’s defeat at Tottenham with a knock.
Paul Onuachu (ankle) is a doubt but Flynn Downes (suspension) and Albert Gronbæk (tendon) remain absent.
Villa have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 3-1 away defeat in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against PSG in midweek.
Leon Bailey (unspecified) is a doubt.
When is Kick-Off?
Southampton host Villa at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday 12 April at 3pm BST, live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Southampton have won one of their last six meetings against Aston Villa (W1, L5).
- Villa have avoided defeat in three of their last five visits to Southampton (W2, D1, L2).
- Southampton have lost each of their last three meetings against Villa by 1-0 results.
- Two of Southampton’s last four goals have been scored by Onuachu.
- Coming into this matchweek, no English player has scored more headed goals this season than Villa’s Ollie Watkins (4).
Prediction
Now that relegation has been confirmed following a lacklustre defeat at Tottenham, Southampton can come into this game with zero pressure following Ivan Juric’s sacking but they will need to bring more polish to their final touches if want a rare win.
Villa though were just outplayed at PSG amidst some sluggish decision making when on the attack – despite a brilliant counter-attack to briefly take the lead, so I do expect squad rotation but the fresh energy the changes will bring should help them if they play like they did against Forest last weekend.
As much as Southampton will feel like they can win this now that there are no expectations, Villa know that they really need a win given that the league is now their best route to another Champions League campaign so I expect them to have the edge.
Prediction: Southampton 1-2 Aston Villa
