Aston Villa vs Southampton: A Tale of Two Teams
After a disappointing start to the season, Aston Villa will be looking to get back to winning ways when they host Southampton at Villa Park on Saturday. The Villans have lost their last three Premier League games, while Southampton have won just one of their last five.
Villa manager Unai Emery will be without several key players for the match, including Ollie Watkins, John McGinn, and Boubacar Kamara. However, he will be boosted by the return of Philippe Coutinho, who has been out with a hamstring injury.
Southampton manager Nathan Jones will also be without several players, including Tino Livramento, Juan Larios, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles. However, he will be boosted by the return of Romeo Lavia, who has been out with a knee injury.
Villa are the favorites to win the match, but Southampton will be no pushovers. The Saints have a good record at Villa Park, and they will be looking to make it four wins in a row against the Villans.
The match is likely to be a close-fought affair, and it could go either way. However, Villa will be confident of getting the three points, especially with Coutinho back in the team.
Here are some key storylines to watch for in the match:
* Can Villa get back to winning ways? The Villans have been in poor form lately, and they will be desperate to get back to winning ways. They will be confident of doing so against Southampton, but they will need to be at their best to get the three points.
* Can Southampton continue their good run? The Saints have won their last two Premier League games, and they will be looking to make it three in a row against Villa. They will be confident of doing so, but they will need to be at their best to get the three points.
* Can Coutinho make a difference? The Brazilian has been out with a hamstring injury, but he is now back in the team. He will be a key player for Villa, and he could make the difference in the match.