Opta Big Match Stats: Southampton to zero in on a win

Southampton have the Premier League's best defensive record

These Opta gems indicate that Southampton's four-match win-to-nil streak will be extended at Aston Villa...

Aston Villa v Southampton
Monday, 20:00
Live on Sky Sports 1

Match Odds: Aston Villa 5.39/2, Southampton 1.794/5, Draw 3.9n/a

Aston Villa failed to score in six of their last seven Premier League matches and netted just once in the other

Combine this fairly damning statistic with another nugget of Opta insight - Aston Villa have fired in the fewest shots on target in the Premier League this season (23) - and theSouthampton clean sheet begins to skyrocket in value.

Paul Lambert's charges have scored in a comically low four of their 12 matches in all competitions so far this campaign, while no top tier team can rival the visitors for clean sheets kept. Their incredible seven shutouts in 11 league games dwarves the four in 12 that pacesetting Chelsea have mustered, while only two attacks that finished outside 2013/14's top six have breached Saints' backline so far.

Villa are still without suspended Christian Benteke and their toothless attack is going to seriously struggle against this steely rearguard.

Recommended Bet: Back Southampton to keep a clean sheet @ 2.47/5

Saints have kept five clean sheets in their last eight Premier League visits to Villa Park

Given the contrasting fortunes of the pair, why stop at an away clean sheet when we can shoot for the bigger bounty on offer for a win to nil? Ronald Koeman's men are masterful shutout enforcers and Villa Park holds no fear for them either - the perfect recipe for a flawless visiting victory.

Each of their previous four Premier League foes have been dispatched without sullying Southampton laundry, a fact which must strike terror into the hosts. Villa's attacking ineptitude knows no bounds, with five of their latest six failures to find the net coming with a defeat bolted on.

The chances of this bet copping are bolstered by this additional Opta offering - Southampton have allowed fewer shots on target against them than any other team in the top flight this season (24).

Recommended Bet: Back Southampton to win to nil @ 2.89/5

Southampton have scored the joint-most goals from substitutes this season (five, with Newcastle)

Victor Wanyama and Shane Long have contributed four of these between them, while Sadio Mane bagged the other. Only one of the latter duo are likely to start in support of Graziano Pelle and it's highly likely that they will be rotated.

The Senegalese wide man has replaced his Irish counterpart, or vice versa, in five of the seven games they've been named in the same matchday squad, with Long emerging from the dugout to bag a match-winning brace against Leicester last time out after Mane was hooked.

This return is likely to see the former West Brom man start at Villa Park, against a Villans side who were foiled by substitute Harry Kane in injury time of their most recent home game. Mane will be called upon if Long isn't doing the business, so side with him to score his third for the Saints.

Recommended Bet: Back Sadio Mane to score @ 3.185/40