TEAM NEWS
Southampton's on-loan defender Kyle Walker-Peters will miss Saturday's game because of a calf problem.
Sofiane Boufal is out with the ankle complaint he sustained against Burnley, while Nathan Redmond remains sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Tyrone Mings will return in defence for Aston Villa after recovering from tonsillitis.
Forward Keinan Davis is due to start training on Monday following his hamstring issue.
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
@Wilsonfooty: Ralph Hasenhuttl's side are probably a maximum of three victories away from being sure of a ninth consecutive top-flight campaign. Thirteen points from five games in December and January lifted them away from the worst of the relegation battle.
That's just the kind of run Villa have never been able to produce. Dean Smith's side are usually good to watch, and Jack Grealish is a delight, but they don't defend well enough to ever be comfortable.
Villa would be hard pushed to defend any worse than they did when these two met back in 2015. A hat-trick in two minutes and 56 seconds from Sadio Mane rewrote the Premier League record books as Southampton won 6-1. Villa at least left St Mary's that day knowing they had avoided relegation - thanks to Hull's defeat at Spurs.
VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl: "It's our goal to make St Mary's a fortress again. It's important we create an atmosphere that's not so easy to stand for opponents coming to St Mary's.
"We need every supporter to give us his voice and help us take this home win. We must show every opponent that it's very, very nasty to play against Southampton on our home ground."
Aston Villa head coach Dean Smith: "Their head coach has said that it's tough to play at home because there is pressure on them.
"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."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
I am going to go with Aston Villa here, even if the amount of goals they are conceding is a concern because it is the most in the division.
That has to change, but Villa have the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City next week and head coach Dean Smith can motivate his players by telling them they are playing for a place at Wembley.
Prediction: 1-2
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Southampton can equal their longest Premier League winning streak versus Aston Villa: three matches from 1993 to 1994, and again between 1999 and 2000.
- Villa are winless in seven matches against Southampton in all competitions since a 3-2 triumph at St Mary's in December 2013 (D3, L4).
Southampton
- Southampton's home record is the worst in the division. They have earned three wins and 11 points from 13 games at St Mary's.
- It's their lowest points tally after 13 top-flight home fixtures since 1991-92.
- Saints are the first side to concede 30 top-flight goals after 13 home games of a season since Ipswich in 1963-64.
- They have suffered three defeats in four league matches and could lose three in a row for the first time since November.
- Danny Ings is one short of 100 Premier League appearances. He has scored 18 goals in all competitions this season - the only English top-flight players to have been more prolific so far are Raheem Sterling, with 20, and 19-goal Marcus Rashford.
- Shane Long has been directly involved in 10 goals in his past seven Premier League starts against Aston Villa, scoring six and providing four assists.
Aston Villa
- It's just one league win in five games for Villa, who have lost eight of the past 12.
- Their only away league victory in nine attempts came at Burnley on New Year's Day. They conceded at least two goals in seven of the other eight away matches during that time.
- Aston Villa are the only side yet to keep a clean sheet away from home in the Premier League this season.
- They could go 21 successive top-flight away matches without a clean sheet for the first time since a run of 38 between October 1986 and September 1989.
- Dean Smith's side have the division's worst defensive record ahead of the weekend, conceding 50 goals.
- Jack Grealish has created 68 chances in the Premier League this season, more than any other English player. He has scored seven league goals and set up six.
- Matt Targett scored one goal in 43 Premier League appearances for Southampton between 2014 and 2019.
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