Aston Villa will contest a much needed three points against fellow struggles Southampton at Villa Park.

Villa are winless against Southampton at home since 2004.

Ralph Hasenhüttl's side have lost their last two having beaten the bottom clubs Watford and Norwich at home. Losses to Newcastle and West Ham have consolidated Southampton's bottom three place as Christmas looms.

Villa themselves have beaten Everton, Newcastle and Brighton at Villa Park, whilst the Saints are without a win away from home since early September.

Team News 

 

John McGinn should be available as Dean Smith looks to pick the Scot for yet another start, even if the midfielder has a minor tear in his thigh for which he must take injections prior to each game.

Keinan Davis remains unavailable having been ruled out through injury since October.

Hasenhüttl will have to contend without Moussa Djenepo after another injury problem has ruled the winger out. Sofiane Boufal too remains on the sidelines for a Southampton side highly reliant on Danny Ings.

Head to Head

Villa last beat the Saints in 2013 with three shots on target good enough for a 3-2 win over then Nigel Adkins' Southampton.

Southampton have since then remained unbeaten against Villa, with three win in six. Last time out, a 4-2 win for Southampton at Villa Park in 2016 all but relegated Villa.

What the managers say

After a 5-0 win against a Liverpool 11 in the Carabao Cup, Villa boss Dean Smith has a selection dilemma at the top of the pitch.

Jonathan Kodjia's hat-trick set Villa on course before substitute Wesley got his first goal in nine. 

"I had Wesley who came on and scored," he said. He had been through a bit of a barren spell before that so it was pleasing both of my centre-forwards scored."

Meanwhile, on the south coast, without a win in two key crucial games, Hasenhuttl remains under pressure, but the Austrian is keeping calm.

He spoke to FourFourTwo"This relationship is important for working together, developing a club and going through all the periods, some successful, some more difficult.

"We are a special club here and we have this from the first day."

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