Aston Villa will hope to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League on Saturday when they entertain Southampton at Villa Park.
The Villans ended February on a high as they clinched a 2-0 victory over Brighton last weekend, thanks to goals from Matty Cash and Ollie Watkins.
Steven Gerrard will be hoping the win against Brighton can act as a catalyst for a much-needed positive run of form, as the Midlands club eye a top-half finish.
Southampton, meanwhile, followed up back-to-back league victories over Everton and Norwich City with a 3-1 win against West Ham in the FA Cup fifth round. The Saints are in good form and should provide Aston Villa with a stiff test.
Aston Villa
Bertrand Traore is back in full training after recovering from a hamstring problem and could be involved. Carney Chukwuemeka is expected to be available for selection again after missing out on last weekend’s win over Brighton with a minor injury.
Emiliano Martinez is expected to be in goal on Saturday, with a back four of Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Lucas Digne starting ahead of him. Douglas Luiz will anchor the midfield, providing John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey with the base to go forward and join in the attacks.
Steven Gerrard tweaked his formation last weekend and started both Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings up front—a move that paid off handsomely. This could see him sticking with the English duo upfront, with Philippe Coutinho providing creativity from his favoured no.10 role.
Southampton
Nathan Tella (groin), Alex McCarthy (hamstring) and Lyanco (hamstring) are all out with injuries, while Mohammed Salisu and Mohamed Elyounoussi are expected to be fit in time from hamstring and heel injuries respectively.
The Saints will assess both Shane Long and Kyle Walker-Peters, who were forced off injured during the midweek FA Cup win over West Ham.
Fraser Forster is expected to replace Willy Caballero in goal, and defenders Jan Bednarek, Mohammed Salisu and Tino Livramento are all set to return to the Southampton lineup. Romain Perraud, meanwhile, will retain his place at left-back.
In midfield, Ralph Hasenhuttl is expected to stick with the tried and tested pairing of Oriol Romeu and James Ward-Prowse. Stuart Armstrong and Mohamed Elyounoussi will operate on the flanks, providing support to the in-form front two of Che Adams and Armando Broja.
Aston Villa Predicted Lineup (4-3-1-2): Emiliano Martinez; Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne; John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Jacob Ramsey; Philippe Coutinho; Danny Ings, Ollie Watkins
Southampton Predicted Lineup (4-2-2-2): Fraser Forster; Tino Livramento, Jan Bednarek, Mohammed Salisu, Romain Perraud; Stuart Armstrong, Oriol Romeu, James Ward-Prowse, Mohamed Elyounoussi; Armando Broja, Che Adams
Aston Villa—Philippe Coutinho
Philippe Coutinho has added the much-needed cutting edge to the Aston Villa attack with his eye for a pass and unpredictable movement. The Brazilian can create things out of nothing, and against a Southampton side that generally leave a lot of space while going on attacks, he could prove a menace at Villa Park.
Southampton—Che Adams
Che Adams has scored four goals in his last five Premier League away starts—a stat that is certain to cause concerns in the Aston Villa side. With Broja alongside him, the 25-year-old can make life difficult for the hosts’ backline. Adams’ form will be a big factor in deciding the outcome of Saturday’s clash.
Prediction: Aston Villa 1-2 Southampton
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