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
with an average of 8.44
Aston Villa
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Squad number23Player namePhilippe Coutinho
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Squad number7Player nameMcGinn
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Squad number11Player nameWatkins
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Squad number20Player nameIngs
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Squad number2Player nameCash
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Squad number6Player nameDouglas Luiz
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Squad number10Player nameBuendía
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Squad number1Player nameMartínez
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Squad number8Player nameSanson
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Squad number16Player nameChambers
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Squad number41Player nameJ Ramsey
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Squad number31Player nameBailey
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Squad number5Player nameMings
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Squad number18Player nameYoung
Southampton
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Squad number17Player nameS Armstrong -
Squad number10Player nameAdams
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Squad number44Player nameForster -
Squad number18Player nameBroja
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Squad number21Player nameLivramento
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Squad number6Player nameOriol Romeu -
Squad number8Player nameWard-Prowse -
Squad number15Player namePerraud
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Squad number24Player nameElyounoussi
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Squad number35Player nameBednarek -
Squad number5Player nameStephens -
Squad number2Player nameWalker-Peters
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Squad number43Player nameValery
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Squad number27Player nameDiallo
Line-ups
Aston Villa
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Martínez
- 2Cash
- 16Chambers
- 5Mings
- 18Young
- 7McGinn
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 41J RamseySubstituted forBaileyat 78′minutes
- 20IngsSubstituted forSansonat 71′minutes
- 11WatkinsBooked at 74mins
- 23CoutinhoSubstituted forBuendíaat 81′minutes
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 76′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
Live Text
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Match ends, Aston Villa 4, Southampton 0.
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Second Half ends, Aston Villa 4, Southampton 0.
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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.
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Substitution, Aston Villa. Emiliano Buendía replaces Philippe Coutinho.
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Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Valentino Livramento.
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Attempt blocked. James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Philippe Coutinho was surrounded by Southampton defenders, but a drop of the right shoulder allowed him to work the space to drill home Aston Villa’s third goalAston 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. Follow reaction to Aston Villa’s win over SouthamptonGo straight to all the best Aston Villa contentVisit our Southampton pageSouthampton fans held up blue and yellow scarves in a show of solidarity with UkraineCoutinho brings a spark that Saints lackWhen 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 weekexternal-link 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. Aston Villa 4-0 Southampton – Ralph Hasenhuttl says everything went wrong for his sideHe 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 matchPhilippe CoutinhoPhilippe Coutinhowith an average of 8.44Aston VillaSquad number23Player namePhilippe CoutinhoSquad number7Player nameMcGinnSquad number11Player nameWatkinsSquad number20Player nameIngsSquad number2Player nameCashSquad number6Player nameDouglas LuizSquad number10Player nameBuendíaSquad number1Player nameMartínezSquad number8Player nameSansonSquad number16Player nameChambersSquad number41Player nameJ RamseySquad number31Player nameBaileySquad number5Player nameMingsSquad number18Player nameYoungSouthamptonSquad number17Player nameS ArmstrongSquad number10Player nameAdamsSquad number44Player nameForsterSquad number18Player nameBrojaSquad number21Player nameLivramentoSquad number6Player nameOriol RomeuSquad number8Player nameWard-ProwseSquad number15Player namePerraudSquad number24Player nameElyounoussiSquad number35Player nameBednarekSquad number5Player nameStephensSquad number2Player nameWalker-PetersSquad number43Player nameValerySquad number27Player nameDialloLine-upsAston VillaFormation 4-3-31Martínez2Cash16Chambers5Mings18Young7McGinn6Douglas Luiz41J Ramsey20Ings11Watkins23Coutinho1Martínez2Cash16Chambers5Mings18Young7McGinn6Douglas Luiz41J RamseySubstituted forBaileyat 78’minutes20IngsSubstituted forSansonat 71’minutes11WatkinsBooked at 74mins23CoutinhoSubstituted forBuendíaat 81’minutesSubstitutes8Sanson10Buendía15Traoré25Olsen30Hause31Bailey45Chrisene47Iroegbunam58O’ReillySouthamptonFormation 4-4-244Forster21Livramento35Bednarek5Stephens15Perraud17S Armstrong8Ward-Prowse6Romeu24Elyounoussi10Adams18Broja44Forster21Livramento35Bednarek5Stephens15PerraudSubstituted forWalker-Petersat 58’minutes17S Armstrong8Ward-Prowse6RomeuBooked at 68minsSubstituted forDialloat 76’minutes24ElyounoussiSubstituted forValeryat 45’minutes10Adams18BrojaSubstitutes2Walker-Peters9A Armstrong11Redmond13Caballero19Djenepo20Smallbone27Diallo32Walcott43ValeryReferee:Peter BankesAttendance:41,855Live TextMatch ends, Aston Villa 4, Southampton 0.Second Half ends, Aston Villa 4, Southampton 0.Attempt missed. Yan Valery (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Ibrahima Diallo.Attempt missed. Leon Bailey (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by John McGinn.Jan Bednarek (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).Foul by Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton).Matthew Cash (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Matthew Cash.Che Adams (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Calum Chambers (Aston Villa).Foul by Stuart Armstrong (Southampton).Morgan Sanson (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Armando Broja (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Ashley Young (Aston Villa).Foul by Yan Valery (Southampton).Morgan Sanson (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the left wing.Substitution, Aston Villa. Emiliano Buendía replaces Philippe Coutinho.Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Valentino Livramento.Attempt blocked. James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.Our coverage of your Premier League club is bigger and better than ever before – here’s everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment