VILLA LOSING RUN UP TO FIVE

Aston Villa have now lost five Premier League matches in a rowfollowing the 1-0 loss at Southampton on Friday night thanks to an early goal from summer signing Adam Armstrong.

Southampton were quicker out of the blocks than their guests and they were rewarded with three minutes on the clock through Armstrong, a £15m arrival from Championship side Blackburn Rovers. The Saints signed Armstrong as a replacement for Danny Ingswho left the club to join Villa in a £20m deal. Ings was unable to return to Southampton with Aston Villa due to injury.

The Aston Villa defence failed to deal with a long ball and that led tothe half volley from Armstrong which nestled in the back of the net in the third minute. Southampton had other chances to score in the first half as Villa struggled to contain their hosts. In the end, the early goal from ex-Newcastle United striker Adam Armstrong was enough to give the Saints a lead at the end of the first 45 minutes.

Aston Villa were much improved in the second half and they were clearly the better team in the second 45 minutes but they lacked the necessary quality to score an equaliser against a Southampton side who have sorted out their defensive issues in recent weeks.

Villa manager Dean Smith made attacking changes in the second half but it was not enough to rescue a point at the end of the game as his team suffered a fifth successive league defeat. Aston Villa are sliding down the league standings as a result of the current run of five straight losses.

With the result against Southampton, Villa stay in 15th place and just three points ahead of the relegation zone after eleven games. Villa have ten points from those games. Southampton are up by two places to 12th position with fourteen (14) points after an impressive run of three wins and a draw from their last four league games.