Southampton can get off the mark as Aston Villa come to town

While it’s fair to say that newly-promoted Southampton have had a tricky start to the season on their return to the top flight, they will no doubt be disappointed that they remain the only side yet to have registered a single point.

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With three of the Saints’ four games so far coming against Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal their slow start is understandable, although manager Nigel Adkins will surely be ruing on his side’s 2-0 home defeat to Wigan as a missed opportunity.

The 6-1 mauling at the Emirates last weekend also did little to suggest the Saints can survive in the top flight, but given Southampton were facing an in-form Gunners side and contributed two of the opposition’s goals, an unflattering scoreline was inevitable.

For signs of hope, fans of the south coast club can point to 3-2 defeats to City and United, when Southampton took 2-1 leads in both games.

Villa won only three of their 19 away games in the league last season, and managed to score just 17 times. And while Southampton have an open defence – they have conceded 14 goals in four games – the Midlands club struggle for goals on the road.

With Paul Lambert’s Aston Villa side coming to St Mary’s on Saturday, Adkins and his players will see this as their ideal chance to break the zero points barrier and finally get their Premier League season started.

Villa won only three of their 19 away games in the league last season, and managed to score just 17 times. And while Southampton have an open defence – they have conceded 14 goals in four games – the Midlands club struggle for goals on the road.

The Saints won a mighty 16 of their 23 games at home last season in the Championship, losing just three on their way to promotion, and with that in mind, they are tempting at 7/5 to record a win on Saturday.

However, scratch the surface of the visitors’ form last season and you can also see one big reason why the draw at 9/4 is shining like a beacon.

Under Alex McLeish, Villa drew a massive ten of their Premier League away trips, which equates to more than half.

Couple that with the inconsistency with which they have started the 2012/13 campaign (one win, one draw and two defeats) and a stalemate seems to be a solid choice.

But putting a spanner in the works is the win recorded by Lambert’s men last weekend, seemingly breaking them out of a funk that has carried over from the McLeish reign.

What must surely have been a confidence-boosting 2-0 success over high-flying Swansea could fill them with enough belief to carry that form on against an out-of-form Southampton.

Not having had much to cheer about in recent times, the Villa faithful have two new heroes to cheer as Matt Lowton and Christian Benteke fired them to glory at Villa Park on Saturday, and Benteke in particular could be key if they are to take advantage of the frail Saints backline.

The Premier League history between these two clubs has seen seven wins for Southampton, five draws and twelve wins for Villa, with the Claret and Blues winning three of the last five meetings.

Though it must be remembered that the last one was in 2005, Villa are 19/10 in bwin’s 3Way football betting market to extend their advantage over their southern opponents and pick up a win at St Mary’s this weekend.

However, on the balance of all the evidence, and a little feeling in my waters (the doctor said it’ll pass), I am putting my faith in Adkins and his charges to finally get on the board and register a win on Saturday. Villa’s good form rarely lasts too long and Saints, who have plently of goals in them, will be more than ready to put up a fight.

One last and possibly crucial element must be noted. As the away team, Aston Villa may have to resort to wearing their opinion-dividing luminous away kit, and we all know what happened the last time Southampton played at home against someone in a silly away kit. Manchester United certainly do.

Recommended bet: Southampton to beat Aston Villa @ 13/10

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