FRIDAY PREMIER LEAGUE: The Striker previews Friday’s Premier League game between SOUTHAMPTON v ASTON VILLA with a recommended BETDAQ bet and extended match stats.
SOUTHAMPTON V ASTON VILLA
8pm Friday Night Football returns this week and we’re live from St Mary’s as Southampton host Aston Villa. This might not be the most glamourous of TV fixtures, but it’s definitely a very interesting one on BETDAQ Betting Exchange. Both sides will be disappointed with their season thus far as they sit in 14th and 15th, and the loser will be under pressure looking down the table. Aston Villa have had a slightly tough run of fixtures, but they come here off the back of four straight losses and need to turn things around quickly.
It was obvious Aston Villa would struggle after selling Jack Grealish to Man City, but they are really lacking some creativity in their side now. I am probably being overly dramatic here, but I feel that they are in a relegation battle. At the moment, they have Leeds and Newcastle below them – I think with the money Newcastle are likely to spend in the transfer window that will change, and Leeds are too good to go down. If Southampton can pull away a little, and start with a win tonight, that basically leaves Aston Villa, Watford, Burnley and Norwich to fight out relegation.
Aston Villa are the classiest side of those four, but stranger things have happened. You only have to look at their xG figures to see they are struggling this season. They have yet to create an xG of over 1.5 with their highest being 1.48 against Manchester United. A game they were very lucky to win as they conceded an xG of 2.45 and managed to keep a clean sheet. The xG table has Villa in 17th, which is a better reflection of their form. The xG table also has Southampton in 10th which is fair – they have been playing better football than their results this season.
Southampton look a good value bet here at 2.14. They have been playing nice football lately. Apart from holding Chelsea to a draw in the Carabao Cup and losing on penalties, they have created an xG’s of 2.13, 2.14 and 1.51 in their last three games. They were very unlucky to draw with Burnley on that run, and this seems an ideal time to get against the struggling Aston Villa. I could be totally wrong, it wouldn’t be the first time, but you could see Villa slipping down the table as we get closer to Christmas. They have work to do to turn things around.
The Striker Says:
Three points win Southampton to beat Aston Villa at 2.14 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQSouast
MATCH STATS
● Southampton have lost just one of their last nine Premier League meetings with Aston Villa (W5 D3), though it was in this exact fixture in their last such meeting in January (0-1).
● Aston Villa are looking to win consecutive away league games against Southampton for the first time since a run of four between 1995 and 1998.
● The home side has won just one of the last six Premier League meetings between Southampton and Aston Villa (D1 L4), with Saints winning 2-0 in February 2020.
● Aston Villa have won none of their last 13 away top-flight matches played on a Friday (D3 L10) – their last away Friday win was in April 1950, winning 4-1 at Charlton Athletic with goals from Con Martin, Billy Goffin, Trevor Ford and Johnny Dixon.
● Southampton have taken seven points from their last three Premier League matches (W2 D1), as many as in their previous 10 games combined (W1 D4 L5).
● Aston Villa have lost each of their last four Premier League games, last having a longer losing run in the competition in their relegation campaign of 2015-16 (11).
● Aston Villa have lost each of their last four Premier League games, but have scored in each defeat. Only four clubs have ever lost five in a row in the competition while finding the net each time – Sunderland in 2005-06, Blackpool in 2010-11, QPR in 2014-15 and Crystal Palace in 2016-17.
● Aston Villa striker Danny Ings has scored in each of his last four Premier League games against sides he’s previously played for in the competition (3 vs Burnley, 1 vs Liverpool) – no player has ever scored in five consecutive such games in Premier League history.
● Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse has been involved in more Premier League goals against Aston Villa than he has vs any other side in the competition (5 – 2 goals, 3 assists). These five goal involvements have come in his last five games against them, with three coming in Saints’ 4-3 win at Villa Park last term.
● Since the start of last season, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins has been on the losing side in six different Premier League games in which he’s scored, more than any other player in that time. The Villans have lost both games in which he’s found the net so far this term.
