Philippe Coutinho starred as Aston Villa produced a magnificent all-round 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 manager Steven 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.
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.
When Coutinho joined Villa, Gerrard, who played alongside the 29-year-old at Liverpool, 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.
-BBC
