Market: Southampton win
Odds: 6/5 @
Looking to pile even more pressure onto Aston Villa this weekend, Southampton will welcome Dean Smith s strugglers to St. Mary s on Friday night.
Starting with the hosts, while Southampton might have endured a worryingly inconsistent start to the 2021/22 campaign, they will be desperate to build off of their recent showings. Although the Saints might have been left heartbroken to have seen their EFL Cup run come to an end away at Chelsea on October 26th, Head Coach Ralph Hasenhüttl last saw his side put in a rugged display. Claiming a 1-0 win away at Watford last weekend, the former RB Leipzig boss has seen his side collect seven points from their last three Premier League outings. Enjoying what has been by far their brightest run of the campaign so far, Southampton now have their sights set on extending their buffer over the drop zone. Managing to mark their return from the international break with a 1-0 win against Leeds on home soil, the Saints should be smelling a chance here.
As for the visitors, putting in another nightmare display last weekend, Aston Villa find themselves in the midst of what has been a hugely worrying run of form. With the pressure firmly on Dean Smith s shoulders, the Midlands-based outfit were last seen getting hit with a 4-1 drumming against a high-flying West Ham on home soil. Struggling to fill the void left by Jack Grealish s departure over the summer, the former Brentford boss now finds his side looking over their shoulder at the drop zone. Heading into October s international break with a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham on the road, Villa have now lost each of their last four Premier League contests on the spin. Gaining a reputation for their rather glaring issues at the back, Smith s side could face a stern test when they make the trip to St. Mary s on Friday night.
Bet: Southampton 6/5 to beat Aston Villa in Friday s Premier League contest @
