Match ends, Aston Villa 4, Southampton 0.
Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard said Philippe Coutinho was "right up there with his Liverpool form of old" as his side produced a magnificent display to win consecutive Premier League games for the first time since November and end Southampton's six-match unbeaten run.
The Brazilian, who joined Villa on loan from Barcelona in January, played a role in the first two goals, before scoring the third as Villa emphatically ended a four-game winless streak at Villa Park and produced their biggest win under Gerrard.
After a smart Coutinho pass Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins linked up, the latter turning Jack Stephens before curling into the far corner for the opening goal after nine minutes.
The second came on the stroke of half-time as Calum Chambers superbly lofted over the Saints defence with the outside of his boot for Coutinho to cushion across to compatriot Douglas Luiz who tapped home for his first league goal since January 2020.
Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl brought on Yan Valery at half-time and switched to a back five, but Coutinho drilled home a third from the right side of the area, before Ings swept home a Matty Cash cutback against his former club in the opening 10 minutes of the half to end any hopes of a comeback.
"We've got Phil [Coutinho] back fit and in a really good physical place. He was right up there with his Liverpool form of old today and he was above the game at times," Gerrard, who played alongside the 29-year-old at Liverpool, told BBC Match of the Day.
"I witnessed that at close quarters when I played with him. The goal he scored today, he was sending the defenders one way and the other, and he used to do that to me most days in training.
"He probably finished my career a couple of years early - he's the reason I've got screws in my knees and groin!"
The win sees Villa climb to 11th, just outside the top half on goal difference, while Southampton remain ninth.
As at all Premier League games this weekend, there was a show of solidarity and support for Ukraine after the invasion by Russia, with the Aston Villa fans applauding and Southampton fans holding up blue and yellow scarves.
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Coutinho brings a spark that Saints lack
When Coutinho joined Villa, Gerrard called him a "special footballer", but said they would have to be "patient with him".
A return of two goals and two assists in his opening 440 minutes was encouraging, but there was a sense that this was Coutinho properly reintroducing himself to English football.
He linked up superbly with Watkins, who scored his seventh league goal of the season, both seeing golden opportunities set up by the other saved by Fraser Forster in the first half.
Coutinho also latched on to a Watkins flick-on before slotting wide, but the partnership will give Gerrard food for thought after rumours emerged this week that he was willing to listen to offers for Watkins in the summer.
The question remains whether Villa can keep hold of Coutinho in the summer, but based on the rapturous reception he got from the Villa Park faithful when he was substituted he may have found a place where he can start enjoying his football again.
He offered Villa something that Southampton, who had only lost once in 10 games, lacked. They struggled to break down Villa and create clear-cut opportunities, with a Che Adams drive their only effort on target.
The visitors' midfield trio of Oriol Romeu, Stuart Armstrong and James Ward-Prowse can lack a creative edge, meaning Saints become reliant on their full-backs and set pieces which Villa stifled throughout the game.
Their recent run has drawn admirers, and this, while only likely to be a bump in the road, will concern Hasenhuttl with a top-half finish on offer and an FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City in two weeks' time.
Player of the match
Philippe CoutinhoPhilippe Coutinho
Aston Villa
Avg
- Squad number23Player namePhilippe CoutinhoAverage rating
8.44
- Squad number7Player nameMcGinnAverage rating
7.75
- Squad number11Player nameWatkinsAverage rating
7.62
- Squad number20Player nameIngsAverage rating
7.45
- Squad number2Player nameCashAverage rating
7.40
- Squad number6Player nameDouglas LuizAverage rating
7.35
- Squad number10Player nameBuendíaAverage rating
7.31
- Squad number1Player nameE MartínezAverage rating
7.29
- Squad number8Player nameSansonAverage rating
7.24
- Squad number16Player nameChambersAverage rating
7.08
- Squad number41Player nameJ RamseyAverage rating
7.02
- Squad number31Player nameBaileyAverage rating
6.89
- Squad number5Player nameMingsAverage rating
6.85
- Squad number18Player nameYoungAverage rating
6.70
Southampton
Avg
- Squad number17Player nameS ArmstrongAverage rating
6.10
- Squad number10Player nameAdamsAverage rating
5.90
- Squad number44Player nameForsterAverage rating
5.83
- Squad number18Player nameBrojaAverage rating
5.81
- Squad number21Player nameLivramentoAverage rating
5.64
- Squad number6Player nameOriol RomeuAverage rating
5.55
- Squad number8Player nameWard-ProwseAverage rating
5.54
- Squad number15Player namePerraudAverage rating
5.42
- Squad number24Player nameElyounoussiAverage rating
5.41
- Squad number35Player nameBednarekAverage rating
5.13
- Squad number5Player nameStephensAverage rating
4.84
- Squad number2Player nameWalker-PetersAverage rating
4.64
- Squad number43Player nameValeryAverage rating
4.38
- Squad number27Player nameDialloAverage rating
4.23
Line-ups
Aston Villa
Formation 4-3-1-2
- 1E Martínez
- 2Cash
- 16Chambers
- 5Mings
- 18Young
- 7McGinn
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 41J RamseySubstituted forBaileyat 77'minutes
- 23CoutinhoSubstituted forBuendíaat 81'minutes
- 20IngsSubstituted forSansonat 71'minutes
- 11WatkinsBooked at 74mins
Substitutes
- 8Sanson
- 10Buendía
- 15Traoré
- 25Olsen
- 30Hause
- 31Bailey
- 45Chrisene
- 47Iroegbunam
- 58O'Reilly
Southampton
Formation 4-4-2
- 44Forster
- 21Livramento
- 35Bednarek
- 5Stephens
- 15PerraudSubstituted forWalker-Petersat 58'minutes
- 17S Armstrong
- 8Ward-Prowse
- 6RomeuBooked at 68minsSubstituted forDialloat 77'minutes
- 24ElyounoussiSubstituted forValeryat 45'minutes
- 10Adams
- 18Broja
Substitutes
- 2Walker-Peters
- 9A Armstrong
- 11Redmond
- 13Caballero
- 19Djenepo
- 20Smallbone
- 27Diallo
- 32Walcott
- 43Valery
- Referee:
- Peter Bankes
- Attendance:
- 41,855
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home38%
- Away62%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away1
- Corners
- Home4
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Aston Villa 4, Southampton 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Yan Valery (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Ibrahima Diallo.
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Attempt missed. Leon Bailey (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by John McGinn.
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Jan Bednarek (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
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Foul by Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton).
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Matthew Cash (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Matthew Cash.
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Che Adams (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Calum Chambers (Aston Villa).
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Foul by Stuart Armstrong (Southampton).
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Morgan Sanson (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Armando Broja (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ashley Young (Aston Villa).
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Foul by Yan Valery (Southampton).
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Morgan Sanson (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Aston Villa. Emiliano Buendía replaces Philippe Coutinho.
Post update
Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Valentino Livramento.
Post update
Attempt blocked. James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Comments
Join the conversation
What a scoop from Villa to get that magician, from a slightly jealous Saints fan.
Coutinho could have had a hattrick in the 1st half.
Outstanding display.
I'm just grateful it wasn't a nine nil job!
The boys have played magnificently lately (My Saints) so I'm not massively disappointed.
But Villa deserve a lot of credit as they were Excellent.
Up the Villa
Fantastic!
Were Villa this good today or Southampton just had a very, very bad day at the office?