Jhon Duran’s first-half goal gave Aston Villa a 1-0 home win over bottom-side Southampton to make it back-to-back victories for Unai Emery’s side.
Duran took full advantage of his first Premier League start of the season by scoring a 24th-minute winner with a clinical one-on-one finish as Southampton failed to have a shot on target, which Saints boss Russell Martin labelled as “madness”.
Duran, who was replaced by Ollie Watkins in the 58th minute, curled home for his ninth goal in all competitions, while it was his first in the Premier League since September.
Watkins was wasteful when he came on as Villa failed to find a second to prevent a nervy ending, although Southampton could not force Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez into a save.
The visitors enjoyed more possession than Villa but were toothless in the defeat, which leaves Russell Martin’s side eight points from safety at the foot of the table and without an away league win this season.
Villa, meanwhile, are heading in the right direction having put their eight-game winless run behind them with their second win in four days and they now sit sixth, two points off the top four.
Emery praises ‘fantastic’ Duran
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery speaking about Duran’s performance at his post-match press conference:
“Fantastic, he’s progressively helping us with everything, scoring goals, working.
“We are very demanding with him, how we want him to respond on the field and today he did the work.
“We are happy for him and adding one more player scoring goals and doing the work we need.
“He listens and we had to try to stop his impassioned moments sometimes, but that’s natural because he’s young, he wants everything quick and the process he has we are doing. Today he scored a goal, (but) what was most important was how he worked.”
Russell on no shot on target: ‘It’s madness’
Southampton boss Russell Martin speaking at his post-match press conference:
“Another mistake and not a shot on target is madness really.
“For all the football we played in the first half and at the start of the second half, we just give teams a lead too many times with such poor goals.
Southampton manager Russell Martin has overseen just five points from 15 Premier League games
“At some point when a team scores a really good goal and bit of individual quality you can maybe accept it, but the goals are just so poor.
“It’s madness. It’s just those fine lines that hurt us too many times and the goals we concede are just so poor. The effort was brilliant.
“I love Taylor (Harwood-Bellis) and I don’t want to criticise him, but what happened can’t happen, so you either smooth the game out and pass or defend and clear it and we do neither.
“We don’t have enough conviction or quality and decision-making in the final third at the moment.
“I don’t know what more I can give the players to make them believe or that extra spark.
“When you’re bottom of the league, there have been tough games recently, some quality opposition, tough results, it’s been interesting to say the least and difficult to deal with.”
Duran takes his chance
Jhon Duran celebrates scoring Aston Villa’s winner against Southampton
Durann scored his 10th Premier League goal on his 50th appearance in the competition, netting his second goal from just four starts, having also scored against Man City in April.
The 20-year-old has also scored six goals from outside the box since the start of last season, only Phil Foden (8) has netted more among Premier League players in all competitions in that time.
Duran proving he is not just a super-sub
Emery has a striker selection headache now.
Duran was handed his first league start of the season and took full advantage by scoring a clinical winner.
The 20-year-old was a handful for the Southampton defence. His goal displayed his bullish strength as he shrugged off Nathan Wood and then showed composure and finesse to curl home his one-on-one chance.
Duran has scored nine goals in all competitions this season
Duran was taken off in the 58th minute for Ollie Watkins but there was no furious reaction from the Colombian this time following his strop in October when he was substituted in Villa’s 2-0 Champions League win over Bologna.
Watkins was dangerous but wasteful when he came on against Southampton. He had four shots and eight touches in the opposition box – the most of any Villa player – but failed to convert.
The England international is likely to be restored for Tuesday’s Champions League game at RB Leipzig but he has Duran breathing down his neck as he tries to shake off his ‘super-sub’ tag.
It is now nine goals for Duran in all competitions, with this latest strike his sixth winner this season.
Duran is a difference-maker and he will be hoping he can be rewarded with more starts.
