Aston Villa 1-0 Southampton

Jhon Durán’s ninth goal of the season secured a 1-0 victory over Southampton as Aston Villa recorded back-to-back Premier League wins in the space of four days.

Duran’s well-taken strike midway through the first half, his sixth winning goal of the campaign so far, proved the difference amid challenging conditions at a wet and windy Villa Park.

The hard-fought triumph, courtesy of a second league clean sheet this term, followed Wednesday’s 3-1 success over Brentford and ensured Villa have taken a maximum six points from successive matches.

Unai Emery’s side are now seven league matches unbeaten on home soil having registered a fourth consecutive win over Saints without conceding, with the last three all coming courtesy of a single goal margin.

The Villans will be looking to continue their form as they resume UEFA Champions League matters with a trip to RB Leipzig on Tuesday.

Durán, having registered four league goals from 14 substitute appearances, was handed his first Premier League start of the season.

The Colombia international was one of four changes from the midweek win over the Bees – with Pau Torres, Diego Carlos and Ian Maatsen also included in Emery’s starting XI.

There were milestones for a trio of Villa players, with Durán and Boubacar Kamara both making their 50th Premier League appearances for the club while Leon Bailey registered his 100th in claret and blue.

Storm Darragh ensured strong winds and heavy rain greeted the two sides as they emerged, with the opening stages making it clear the conditions would impact the encounter.

The hosts almost pounced on a mis-placed pass from Southampton goalkeeper Joe Lumley midway through the first half, but they didn’t have to wait long for the opener.

Defensive hesitancy from Saints ensured they failed to deal with Carlos’ long ball and Duran nipped in before racing through and beating Lumley with a neat finish.

Morgan Rogers’ teasing ball across the face of goal eluded everyone just after the half-hour mark, as Durán’s solitary strike separated the sides at the break.

The second period remained a finely-poised affair and manager Emery made a quadruple substitution in the 59^th minute – introducing Lucas Digne, Ross Barkley, Jaden Philogene and Ollie Watkins.

The Villans pressed for a crucial second goal to secure valuable breathing space in the encounter, Rogers seeing his strike deflected wide.

One goal continued to separate the two sides as the clash entered the closing stages, Barkley and Watkins both denied by Nathan Wood as the home side pushed forward.

Watkins was again thwarted by the Southampton centre-back amid five minutes added time as space opened up in the visitors’ rearguard, before captain John McGinn saw his effort saved by Lumley, but Villa stood firm to collect all three points.