Aston Villa host Southampton on Saturday
Aston Villa host Southampton on Saturday
Aston Villa are back in action when they face Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. Unai Emery's side ended a run of seven games without a win with a 3-1 success over Brentford on Wednesday, thanks to goals from Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and Matty Cash.
It was a result that moved Villa up to eighth, just four points behind fourth-place Manchester City and six adrift of Arsenal in third and Chelsea in second. If Emery's men can now string a run of successive victories together, they have the potential to climb further up the table and into those European places.
As for Southampton, Russell Martin's side have endured a difficult season so far and sit rock bottom on just one win from their opening 14 matches. They have picked up just five points from a possible 42, are seven from safety and suffered a damaging 5-1 defeat at home to Chelsea on Wednesday.
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Is Aston Villa vs Southampton on TV?
Nevertheless, it's poised to be another intriguing affair for Villa but fans from either side won't be able to watch the game live in the UK if they aren't at Villa Park.
This is because the match hasn't been selected for UK TV broadcast and will therefore start at the traditional blackout time of 3pm on Saturday afternoon.
How to watch?
However, if you are not in the UK, there is a very good chance you can find the game on another channel.
For example, in the United States (US), the clash between Villa and Southampton will be available to watch and stream online live through Peacock Premium. In Spain, Movistar, DAZN Spain and DAZN2 Spain are set to show the match live, while viewers from France have myCANALCanal and Live 4, and Germany have Sky Sport Mix.
Alternative option
Elsewhere, Birmingham Live will be providing you updates from the game, so if you can't watch it you can follow our live blog before, during and after the fixture.
Team news
As for team news, Emery will assess his squad at the last possible moment ahead of Villa's clash with Southampton. Amadou Onana will face a late fitness test as he closes in on his return from injury, while fellow midfielder Jacob Ramsey is progressing well but remains a couple of weeks away from a return.
"It’s been very difficult because we played two matches in three days, even we played against Juventus but we had, more or less, one day more to rest," said Emery. "And we are playing three matches, with the match tomorrow, just in the middle another match against Leipzig on Tuesday.
"It’s the most difficult challenge we can have, playing four matches in those days. Today I don’t know exactly which players are available for tomorrow – some are doubts, yesterday they were in some pain and as well some were really tired. We are going to train now, this afternoon, but even training this afternoon, I think until tomorrow morning it’s not going to be clear for me which players will start the match."
Southampton, meanwhile, are set to welcome back Tyler Dibling, Flynn Downes and Taylor Harwood-Bellis after missing the Chelsea defeat through suspension. Jan Bednarek is "touch and go" to be fit and Paul Onuachu has been ruled out.