Southampton vs Aston Villa predictions: Distracted Villa still too strong for Saints
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- Southampton have set an unwanted Premier League record as their relegation was sealed with seven games remaining
- Aston Villa let slip a 1-0 lead to lose 3-1 in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg at Paris Saint-Germain
- Recommended bet: Aston Villa to win 2-1
Southampton's relegation from the Premier League was confirmed last weekend and manager Ivan Juric left the club on Monday.
The Saints have 10 points from 31 matches this season, still one short of Derby's record-low tally, and they will be desperate to eclipse that mark.
Interim boss Simon Rusk leads them out against in-form Aston Villa, who had won seven games on the spin before Wednesday's 3-1 Champions League defeat away to PSG.
Team news
Southampton midfielder Flynn Downes completes his two-match suspension after picking up 10 yellow cards in this season's Premier League. Rennes loanee Albert Gronbaek is injured.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is likely to shuffle his pack with an eye on Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against PSG.
Donyell Malen and Andreas Garcia, who are not in Villa's Champions League squad, should start at St Mary's but winger Leon Bailey remains a doubt.
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The stats
Both teams have scored in nine of Southampton's last 11 Premier League matches.
Saints have lost and both teams have scored in three of their last four league games.
Southampton have suffered 25 defeats in 31 league fixtures this season.
Seven of Aston Villa's eight league defeats this season have come away from home.
Six of Villa's 14 league wins this season have been by a 2-1 scoreline.
There have been over 2.5 goals in nine of Villa's last 11 matches in all competitions.
Prediction
Aston Villa came up against one of Europe's most in-form teams on Wednesday night but on Saturday they face a Southampton side who have lost 25 of their 31 Premier League matches this season.
Villa suffered a 3-1 defeat to PSG despite taking a first-half lead and their focus is bound to be on next week's Champions League quarter-final second leg at Villa Park.
However, Emery's men cannot afford to take their eye off the ball in the league as they are in the hunt for a top-five finish and qualification for next term's Champions League.
Emery will have at least one eye on Tuesday's return clash with PSG but Villa have the strength in depth to grind out a narrow win at St Mary's.
A seventh 2-1 Villa victory of the league campaign is worth chancing in the correct-score market as their starting line-up could include Ollie Watkins, Marco Asensio, Ian Maatsen, Amadou Onana and Axel Disasi, who all came off the bench in Paris on Wednesday.
Saints would love to have that kind of quality in their ranks although they have found the net in their last four matches, including defeats to Liverpool, Wolves and Tottenham.
In-form Crystal Palace needed a late equaliser at St Mary's in Southampton's last home fixture but they may struggle to add to their meagre points tally against Villa.
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