Southampton vs Aston Villa: Preview, predictions and lineups | OneFootball

Aston Villa continue their push to secure a top-five Premier League finish as they face the relegated Southampton on Saturday afternoon.

This fixture arrives in the middle of Villa's Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain, and they've got work to do if they're to advance at the scintillating French side's expense. Nuno Mendes' stoppage-time goal means the Villans have a 3-1 deficit to make up on home soil next week.

Unai Emery will undoubtedly be prioritising Tuesday's second leg, but domestic points are pivotal, too. Three consecutive league wins has left Villa seventh in the table and just two points off Newcastle in fifth.

Southampton, meanwhile, had their inevitable fate confirmed last weekend. The Saints secured the earliest relegation in Premier League history following a 3-1 defeat to Spurs, and they still require two points from their final seven games to avoid being regarded as the worst team in the competition's history.

With Ivan Juric departing, Simon Rusk and Adam Lallana will take temporary charge.

Here is 90min's guide to Saturday's Premier League bout.

What time does Southampton vs Aston Villa kick-off?

Southampton vs Aston Villa head-to-head record (last five games)

Current form (all competitions)

How to watch Southampton vs Aston Villa on TV - UK & US

Southampton team news

Simon Rusk is once again in temporary charge / Crystal Pix/MB Media/GettyImages

Rusk was briefly at the helm after Russell Martin's exit in December, and the interim boss will likely stick with the back three Juric deployed for much of his forgettable tenure.

Flynn Downes is still suspended for the hosts but will return next week, while January addition Albert Gronbaek is nursing a tendon injury. Ryan Fraser is also likely to miss out.

Paul Onuachu should return to lead the line, with Mateus Fernandes and Kamaldeen Sulemana - two bright sparks in a torrid season - joining him in attack.

Southampton predicted lineup vs Aston Villa

Southampton predicted lineup vs Villa (3-4-3): Ramsdale; Bednarek, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens; Walker-Peters, Smallbone, Ugochukwu, Manning; Fernandes; Onuachu, Sulemana.

Aston Villa team news

Ross Barkley is back fit for the Villans / Michael Regan/GettyImages

Villa have improved on the injury front in recent weeks, and Ross Barkley was able to return to Emery's bench in Paris after spending a period on the sidelines due to a knee issue.

With Barkley back, the visitors' sole concern is Leon Bailey. The winger is nursing a minor knock and could feature at the weekend.

The Villans are gunning for a top-five Premier League finish, but Southampton's woes mean Emery should be able to rotate handily ahead of next week's second leg. Ian Maatsen, Axel Disasi, Amadou Onana, Donyell Malen, Marco Asensio, and Ollie Watkins are among the players who didn't start in Paris but could find themselves in Saturday's starting XI.

Villa predicted lineup vs Southampton (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Garcia, Disasi, Mings, Maatsen; Onana, Tielemans; Malen, Asensio, Ramsey; Watkins.

Rusk was able to get a tune out of this Saints side during his interim spell at the end of 2024, but the returning temporary boss is no miracle-worker.

Some might say Southampton's confirmed relegation will allow them to play "without fear", but that was never the issue for the south coasters this season. They're simply way out of their depth. Villa may have one eye focused on PSG's visit next week, but that's all they're going to need to win away from home this weekend.