Aston Villa v Southampton: Premier League match preview

A look ahead to this weekend's Premier League fixture at Villa Park

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert remonstrates on the sideline in front of his coaching staff (Getty Images)

With a game in hand on most of the teams below them Aston Villa should be more or less safe, but probably need one more win to ensure their top-flight status for next season.

They might fancy picking up those points against Southampton, who have very little to play for in the final weeks of the season. Their last few games have seen them lose three in four as momentum and motivation seem hard to come by.

Both sides have seen serious injuries end the season – and the world cup hopes – of their leading forwards, so goals might be harder to come by than they were in the five-goal classic the two sides played out in December

KICK-OFF: Saturday, 3pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS:

Southampton 2 (Rodriguez, Osvaldo) Aston Villa 3 (Abgonlahor, Kozak, Delph), Premier League, December 2013

Aston Villa 0 Southampton 1 (Lambert pen), Premier League, January 2013

Southampton 4 (Lambert 2, Clyne, Puncheon) Aston Villa 1 (Bent), Premier League, September 2012

STATS:

Villa have lost their last four league games – the last time they lost five in a row was December 2000-January 2001

Injured striker Christian Benteke is the only Aston Villa player with 10 goals this season – the next best is Leandro Bacuna, with 5

Aston Villa have lost 10 league games at Villa Park this season – only Fulham have a worse home record

Between them Ricky Lambert (11) and Jay Rodriguez (15) have scored more than half of Southampton’s goals this season

Southampton have lost four of their last five away games

So far this April Southampton are yet to score a goal in open play

ODDS:

Tottenham to win: 3.2

Arsenal to win: 2.15

Draw: 3.5

CLASSIC MOMENT – Southampton 2-3 Aston Villa April 16 2004

Southampton slipped closer to relegation from the top flight after a real game of two halves. Having raced into a two goal lead inside 13 minutes, with goals from strike duo Kevin Phillips and Peter Crouch, Southampton looked like they would climb out of the relegation zone. But Carlton Cole got one back after the break before two goals in three minutes from Nolberto Solano and Steve Davis nicked Villa the points. Southampton would be relegated on the last day of the season, by just two points.

TV: Highlights on BBC1 at 10.30pm