Southampton v Aston Villa betting tips: Fireworks expected as Smith feels heat
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Southampton v Aston Villa betting tips and odds
These two teams are separated by just one point in the table but Aston Villa boss Dean Smith is now the 7/4 favourite to be the next Premier League manager to leave his post on the back of a four-match losing run.
Saints, meanwhile, have taken seven points from a possible nine to move above Villa and are rated 21/20 to win Friday night’s clash, which may see the return of former striker Danny Ings although he missed Sunday’s defeat by West Ham with an injury.
There could be fireworks on Bonfire Night as we look at some of the markets and odds in our Southampton v Aston Villa betting tips.
Match Odds
The away team has won four of the last five meetings between these teams and another is available at 5/2 but defeats to Tottenham, Wolves, Arsenal and West Ham have left Villa fans wondering where their next win is coming from.
All four of those losses involved Villa scoring, so we go 14/5 on Saints winning and conceding while the hosts to secure a third 1-0 victory in four is priced at 15/2.
Interestingly, Villa have the worst first-half record away from home having lost four and drawn one of their five games, so Southampton look an interesting prospect at 33/20 to be ahead at the break.
High spirits at Staplewood 🙌
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) November 2, 2021
Southampton have never been behind at home during the interval on home turf this season but they have been level in four of their five games which can be backed at 11/10.
With that in mind, Draw HT/Southampton FT is 4/1 while Southampton to be ahead at half-time and full-time is 12/5.
Villa’s squad looks too good to go down but their owners have European ambitions, so results will need to start picking up soon otherwise Smith could follow the likes of Xisco Munoz, Steve Bruce and Nuno Espirito Santo out of the exit door.
This match could be a close encounter and so both teams to score, over 2.5 goals and either team to win at 6/4 looks an interesting option in our Southampton v Aston Villa betting tips, bearing in mind that has been the case in three of the last five meetings between these teams.
Talking Tactics
Smith will be without defender Ezri Konsa, who is suspended after being sent off early in the second half of Sunday’s 4-1 home defeat by West Ham, so Tyrone Mings could be recalled.
Mings was the casualty at the weekend as Villa changed to a 4-3-3 formation in the absence of Ings and Douglas Luiz who have “soft tissue injuries”, according to Smith who said the squad also has some “Covid-related issues”.
The thoughts of Dean Smith following #AVLWHU. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/zQ7WMZqzoz
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) October 31, 2021
Jacob Ramsey hobbled off with a twisted ankle after a quarter of an hour and was replaced by Ashley Young, who played in central midfield, so Smith clearly has problems on his hands.
Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl will stick with his favoured 4-4-2 formation and is likely to deploy Che Adams and Adam Armstrong up front in the absence of Armando Broja, who has an ankle injury.
Goalscorer Odds
Adams is 5/1 to break the deadlock and 2/1 to find the net having scored a superb winner in the 1-0 victory at Watford over the weekend.
Adam Armstrong has not scored since netting in the 3-1 defeat at Everton on the opening weekend of the season but is 11/2 and 11/5 in the two markets.
Skipper James Ward-Prowse, who scored a double in a 4-3 win at Villa Park last season, is 15/2 and 14/5 in our Southampton v Aston Villa betting tips.
In the potential absence of Ings, Ollie Watkins is 11/2 to get the opening goal of the game or 21/10 to find the net as he did in the defeat mentioned above.
Match Info
Where: St Mary’s Stadium
When: 20:00, Friday 5th November
How to watch: Sky Sports
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
