Philippe Coutinho ran the show as Aston Villa easily overcame Southampton 4-0 at Villa Park.
Villa manager Steven Gerrard spoke recently about wanting to play two strikers as he preferred to have his goal scorers on the pitch rather than the bench and that positive approach really paid off against a timid Saints side.
Ollie Watkins gave the hosts the perfect start after opening the scoring just nine minutes in – his second goal in a week after netting in his team’s 2-0 win at Brighton last weekend – after Coutinho and Danny Ings had linked up well in the buildup.
Aston Villa's Philippe Coutinho (left) celebrates with Tyrone Mings scoring their side's third goal of the game
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That early opener gave Villa the confidence to attack in numbers, which they did at will, with the increasingly busy Fraser Forster doing well to prevent Watkins from scoring a second, before the home side did double their lead a minute before the break after another wonderful team goal.
Calum Chambers, on the edge of the box, split the Saints defence with a cleverly judged lofted ball for Coutinho, who then found Douglas Luiz five yards out. The midfielder finished to put Villa in control at the break.
Philippe Coutinho celebrates scoring Villa's third goal
Two goals in two minutes at the start of the second half then ended the game as a contest as first Coutinho, with the help of a slight deflection through Forster’s legs, got the goal his all-around play deserved seven minutes into the second half.
Then Ings, who only moments earlier had been denied by Forster, found the net against his former club with a well-struck volley after being picked out by Matty Cash’s cutback.
Steven Gerrard’s team move up to 11th in the Premier League and sit just two points behind their opponents in ninth.
Villa win big at last – Opta stats
- Aston Villa registered their biggest Premier League win since winning 7-2 against Liverpool in October 2020. It was the Villans’ biggest league win over Southampton since a 4-0 victory in the second tier back in September 1936.
- Aston Villa have picked up back-to-back victories in the Premier League for the first time since November in Steven Gerrard’s first two games in charge.
- Since Ralph Hasenhüttl’s first Premier League match in charge in December 2018, Southampton have conceded more goals than any other side (205).
- Since the start of last season, only Harry Kane (31) and Jamie Vardy (25) have more Premier League goals among Englishmen than Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins (21).
Man of the Match – Philippe Coutinho
Philippe Coutinho wheels away in celebration
The quick-footed Brazilian was in one of those moods in the west Midlands on Saturday, with everything flowing through him, before being replaced to a standing ovation from the Villa Park faithful with nine minutes to go.
Coutinho played a part in the home team’s opener after exchanging passes with Danny Ings in midfield, before creating a rare goal on a plate for compatriot Douglas Luiz on the stroke of half-time.
And the playmaker capped off a fine display by deservedly getting on the scoresheet at the start of the second half, albeit with the help of a deflection, meaning the on-loan Barcelona player has now been directly involved in six goals in just four home Premier League appearances since joining Villa, including three goals.
What’s next?
Villa will return to Premier League action on Thursday 10 March at 7.45pm when they play Leeds, while Southampton will face Newcastle on the same day at 7.30pm.
