Southampton vs Aston Villa line-ups: Smallbone, Djenepo, Mings all start

Starting line-ups for Southampton and Aston Villa have been confirmed ahead of their meeting in the Premier League this afternoon.

Both sides will really be hoping to grab a win today after recent results and both will see today’s meeting as a real chance to claim some vital points.

Saints have lost three of their last four league games and will be wanting to improve their home record, which is the worst in the Premier League currently.

Aston Villa still sit one point outside the relegation zone, but two narrow defeats to Bournemouth and Spurs consecutively see Dean Smith’s side arriving on the South Coast in need of a positive outcome.

Team news ahead of the game provided some positive news for the visitors to St Mary’s, whilst Saints looked to be needing others to step up.

Tyrone Mings returned to training this week after missing Villa’s last game with Tonsillitis and Ralph Hasenhuttl confirmed that Saints could be without Nathan Redmond, Sofiane Boufal and Kyle Walker-Peters for this weekend.

Mings returns to the starting line-up to give Villa a real boost ins leadership at the back this afternoon.

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• Grading the Southampton Transfer Window Part 1: Departures
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The big surprise for Saints is a first Premier League start for young midfielder Will Smallbone, with Boufal fit enough for the bench and James Warrd-Prowse filling in at right-back.

An interesting tactical battle could develop on the South Coast today too.

Saints’ pressing 4-2-2-2 system worked wonders against Villa with a 3-1 win back in December, but Villa have switched systems since then to try and provide some stability.

They now use a 3-4-3 formation and Saints will have to be careful not to get into a cagey affair that could favour their opponents.

Confirmed Saints line-up

Alex McCarthy, James Ward-Prowse, Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens, Ryan Bertrand, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Will Smallbone, Moussa Djenepo, Stuart Armstrong, Shane Long, Danny Ings

Substitutes: Angus Gunn, Yan Valery, Jannik Vestergaard, Oriol Romeu, Sofiane Boufal, Michael Obafemi, Che Adams

Confirmed Aston Villa line-up

Pepe Reina, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Kortney Hause, Frederic Guilbert, Matt Targett, Marvelous Nakamba, Douglas Luiz, Anwar El Ghazi, Jack Grealish, Mbwana Samatta

Substitutes: Ojan Nyland, Ahmed Elmohamady, Bjorn Engels, Danny Drinkwater, Conor Hourihane, Trezeguet, Borja Baston