Frederic Guilbert looks like a man whose nerves are shot as he nervously passes the ball back to Villa keeper Tom Heaton.

He has not had a great first half by any stretch.

That's a yellow all day long. Jack Grealish scampers away down the left until James Ward-Prowse comes over on the cover and legs him up.

A touch cynical maybe? That looked to be Aston Villa's first promising attack in a while.

Aston Villa's home record isn't great against Southampton. The last time they beat the Saints here Darius Vassell and Carlton Cole were their scorers.

Yes it was that long ago, August 2004 to be precise.

And the way things are panning out, I can't see that changing today.

Tough lads these Danes. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is back on his feet and back on the pitch.

Postpublished at 38 mins

38 mins

Aston Villa 0-2 Southampton

Talk about full-blooded. Saints skipper Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg looks to be struggling after smashing into a tackle with Douglas Luiz.

That's shocking from Bjorn Engels! The Villa man totally miscues his clearances and Tom Heaton has to bail him out underneath his own crossbar.

Villa's defending has been shambolic so far. It's been so easy for the Saints.

Douglas Luiz might as well have not bothered there. The Villa midfielder scuffs at a shot from 25 yards. No hope of troubling Alex McCarthy there.

Shane Long is causing havoc in the Villa penalty area. The Republic of Ireland forward goes close with a header that Kortney Hause nearly bundles over his own line before Tom Heaton gathers.

Aston Villa have on average faced 18.4 shots per game this season, which is the most in a Premier League season since Reading in 2012-13.

On this evidence it's easy to see why.

Image source, Getty Images

Saints almost go two goals up.

Was that Jack Stephens of Franco Baresi? The Southampton centre-back breaks clear down the right and lays on another decent chance for Shane Long at the near stick.

Only a brilliant challenge from Bjorn Engels, saves the day for Villa, who are rocking.

Just watched that Shane Long miss again. In fairness it was absolutely smashed in at his head.

How did Shane Long miss that?

Nathan Redmond and Ryan Bertrand combine down the Southampton left but Long somehow heads over from about three yards.

Villa boss Dean Smith suggested earlier this week that a bit more graft could put Matt Targett in the frame for an England call-up.

I reckon he must have been listening. He was motoring down the left a moment ago.

Slick build-up play from Villa brings their first decent chance of the afternoon.

Matt Targett gets away down the left and zips a cross to the back stick but Anwar El Ghazi sees his shot saved by Saints keeper Alex McCarthy.

This is better from Villa who are knocking the ball around nicely until referee Craig Pawson flicks it away from Wesley.

The Brazilian forward doesn't look too impressed but we'll have a drop-ball.

John McGinn's race is run. The Aston Villa midfielder can't put any weight on his left ankle and Marvelous Nakamba trots on to replace him.

McGinn looked in a fair amount of pain there.

Postpublished at 5 mins

5 mins

Aston Villa 0-0 Southampton

Aston Villa's John McGinn looks to be in trouble after a challenge with Cedric Soares.

The Villa man looks like he's injured his ankle after getting his studs caught in the turf.