View: Alex Moreno to start, Leon Bailey to retain place: Aston Villa predicted XI v Southampton
Aston Villa travel to the South Coast to face a rejuvenated Southampton side on Saturday afternoon, as Unai Emery looks to make it four Premier League games unbeaten.
The Villans will be without their top scorer Danny Ings, who completed his £15million move to West Ham United on Friday (20 January).
Ings didn’t start the Villans’ win over Leeds United and it’s likely Emery will name a similar side for their trip to St Mary’s. Here Villa News takes a look at how the Spaniard could set his side up against Nathan Jones’ men.
Emery will be enforced into one change, with Lucas Digne ruled out of the fixture with a shoulder injury (Birmingham Live, 20 January). With Ludwig Augustinsson also out, new-signing Alex Moreno is primed to make his full debut for the Villans at left-back.
The Villa boss will name Emi Martinez in goal, along with Tryone Mings and Ezri Konsa as his centre-back pairing. Ashley Young has been preferred to Matty Cash of late, and will more than likely start again against the Saints.
Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara are both shoo-ins to start in the centre of midfield for the Villans, with Emi Buendia likely to partner Jacob Ramsey in a more advanced role, due to John McGinn’s injury.
Emery was unlikely to change his strike force, but due to the departure of Danny Ings, Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey are likely to be the Spaniard’s forward partnership on the South Coast.
In other Aston Villa news, this one first-team player could quickly become a fan-favourite after his brilliant performance against Leeds in the Premier League.