Ross Barkley’s header secured a 1-0 victory as Aston Villa got back to winning ways on the road and recorded their first triumph over Southampton in 10 meetings.
Barkley nodded home Jack Grealish’s first-time cross just before the break to register his third goal for the club and secure Villa’s first win over Saints since 2013.
It was a ninth assist of the season for inspirational captain Grealish, who has now been directly involved in 15 Villa goals already this term.
Success at St Mary’s, courtesy of a 10th Premier League clean sheet of the season, ended a run of four away games without victory, Emi Martinez saving superbly from Jan Bednarek and Che Adams late on before Danny Ings saw an injury-time strike ruled out for offside by VAR.
It secured a 10th league win of the season after 19 matches, with Villa now on 32 points and having registered their highest points tally at the halfway stage of a top-flight season since 2009/10.
Dean Smith named an unchanged starting XI from the midweek defeat at Burnley, with new signing Morgan Sanson among the substitutes following his arrival from Marseille earlier this week.
Ollie Watkins pulled an effort off target in the seventh minute before Southampton saw penalty appeals waved away after a VAR check ruled Matty Cash did not handle Stuart Armstrong’s shot.
Armstrong tested Martinez as Saints enjoyed the better of the opening quarter, Ryan Bertrand finding the side-netting just after the half-hour mark.
Watkins drew a smart low save from Alex McCarthy before Villa made the breakthrough, Barkley meeting Grealish’s left-wing cross to head home from six yards.
It proved enough to secure a half-time lead, which could have been greater if not for another save from McCarthy to deny the lively Watkins.
Villa maintained their advantage at the start of the second half but had Martinez to thank in the 70th minute for a superb parried save to deny Saints substitute Adams, Cash clearing the danger from the rebound.
Martinez was called upon again in the 85th minute to make a superb reaction save to keep out Bednarek’s header before Villa again cleared the subsequent danger.
The keeper then made a fantastic one-handed save to keep out Adams’ strike from distance in injury time, before Ings saw his follow-up ruled out for offside by VAR as Villa held out for all three points – securing a first clean sheet at Southampton since a 1-0 triumph at the Dell in 1996.
Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Luiz, McGinn, Traore, Barkley (Nakamba 90+6), Grealish, Watkins.
Subs: Heaton, Taylor, Engels, Elmohamady, Sanson, El Ghazi, Trezeguet, Davis.
