Villa eventually seal win over Southampton
Southampton 0 - 3 Aston Villa
Aston Villa took a significant step towards securing back-to-back seasons in the Champions League with a 3-0 victory over already-relegated Southampton, despite Marco Asensio missing two second-half penalties.
Unai Emery’s side were made to work for their win at St Mary’s, with all three goals coming after the break and all three scored by substitutes. It marked a piece of Premier League history, as Villa became the first team to have three different substitutes score in a single match.
Ollie Watkins, introduced midway through the second half for Marcus Rashford, broke the deadlock when he latched onto a sublime pass from Youri Tielemans and fired in a first-time finish that struck the underside of the crossbar on its way in.
Just minutes earlier, Watkins had won Villa’s first penalty after being brought down by Jan Bednarek’s clumsy challenge, only for Aaron Ramsdale to deny Asensio from the spot.
Donyell Malen doubled Villa’s advantage with a thunderous finish following a clever through ball from Morgan Rogers. John McGinn then added a third in stoppage time, converting the rebound after Ramsdale saved Asensio’s second poorly struck penalty and sparing the PSG loanee’s blushes.
The impact on Villa’s season
Villa face a tall order to overturn their two-goal deficit against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, but a run of five wins in their last six Premier League matches has left Emery’s men well placed to secure an immediate return to the Champions League next season.
Since a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town in mid-February, no side has collected more Premier League points than Villa, who have picked up 17.
Premier League: 2024/2025 season
Saturday’s encounter was far from the comfortable afternoon many had predicted. Southampton, already consigned to life in the Championship, defended deep and looked to threaten on the counter.
Rashford had an early header saved by Ramsdale, who was also on hand to deny Tielemans twice in a scrappy first half.
Watkins’ introduction proved to be the turning point. He won the penalty and then opened the scoring just minutes later, breaking Southampton’s resistance.
Malen continued his fine form with his sixth goal in eight appearances, while McGinn’s late strike ensured Villa’s dominance was reflected in the scoreline.
An interesting stat
Asensio became just the fourth player in Premier League history to miss two penalties in a single match, joining Juan Pablo Ángel, Darren Bent and Saido Berahino in that unwanted list. However, his missed chances ultimately made little difference, as Villa put the pressure on fellow Champions League hopefuls Chelsea and Newcastle United.
Fan reaction
Ajay, a Villa fan, said: "We knew we had to respond after the disappointment in Paris. That result hurt, but good teams bounce back quickly and I think we showed real character today. Southampton made it difficult, but we stayed patient, took our chances and kept our focus. The lads who came off the bench made a massive difference, and it just shows the strength that we’ve got in the squad.
"We’re in a great position in the league now, and while the job’s not done. You can see that the team are determined to finish strong and get Villa in the Champions League, where we believe that we belong."
