Aston Villa vs Southampton LIVE: Premier League team news and ...
Follow live coverage as Aston Villa face Southampton today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.
The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.
Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:
Diego Carlos reacts first but he is unable to get his effort on target.
Corner for Aston Villa. The hosts play through the thirds quickly before Maatsen's cross is deflected out of play.
We are underway here at Villa Park! Slight changes to both formations, with Aston Villa lining up as 4-2-3-1 and Southampton opting for a 3-4-3.
The teams are now making their way onto the pitch with this Premier League clash just moments away.
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who starts on the bench today, has been involved in 10 goals in his last five Premier League appearances against promoted clubs, scoring four and assisting six.
Southampton will be without nine players for today’s trip to Villa Park. Aaron Ramsdale, Adam Lallana, Gavin Bazunu, Jan Bednarek, Lesley Ugochukwu, Paul Onuachu, Ross Stewart, Will Smallbone and Jack Stephens remain unavailable.
The hosts enter the match all near full-strength, Jacob Ramsey is the only absentee through injury.
SUBS: Alex McCarthy, Joe Aribo, Ronnie Edwards, Yukinari Sugawara, Ben Brereton Diaz, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Charlie Taylor, Ryan Fraser, Samuel Amo-Ameyaw.
SOUTHAMPTON (5-3-2): Joe Lumley; Kyle Walker-Peters, James Bree, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Nathan Wood, Ryan Manning; Tyler Dibling, Flynn Downes, Mateus Fernandes; Adam Armstrong, Cameron Archer.
SUBS: Matty Cash, Tyrone Mings, Ross Barkley, Emiliano Buendia, Ollie Watkins, Lucas Digne, Jaden Philogene, Amadou Onana, Robin Olsen.
