Hello! Thanks for joining me this afternoon for a game that is of vital importance to both sides. Southampton will be desperate to show their fans that Wednesday's 6-1 defeat to Liverpool was a blip, while Villa are in dire need of any sort of victory.

We'll delve a little further into those issues in a few moments, but let's get some team news first.

Southampton starting XI: Stekelenburg; Cedric, Fonte, Van Dijk, Bertrand; Wanyama, Ward-Prowse; Tadic, S. Davis, Mane; Pelle

Aston Villa starting XI: Guzan; Hutton, Lescott, Okore, Bacuna; Gueye, Veretout, Sanchez; Sinclair, Gestede, Ayew

Southampton subs: K. Davis, Clasie, Long, Rome, Martina, Juanmi, Caulker

Aston Villa subs: Bunn, Ilori, Agbonlahor, Westwood, Richardson, Traore, Gil

The big news for Southampton is that Jose Fonte returns to captain the side. The defender missed the League Cup quarter-final loss with a cut knee, which he sustained in last weekend's 3-1 defeat to Manchester City. He replaces Steven Caulker, who endured a torrid time against Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi. The second change made by Ronald Koeman sees James Ward-Prowse take the place of Jordy Clasie in midfield.

As for Villa, they have made four changes in total. Three of those come in defence, where Joleon Lescott, Jores Okore and Leandro Bacuna replace Micah Richards, Ciaran Clark and Kieran Richrdson. The final change is in attack, where the height and strength of Rudy Gustede has been preferred to the pace and trickery of Carlos Gil.

Wednesday's 6-1 loss to Liverpool was Southampton's third on the bounce in all competitions. Ronald Koeman is wary of the fact that they must stop the rot soon and has spoken of the need to restore the balance between defending and attacking.

With that in mind, the Saints manager will be pleased to have his skipper back in the middle of his defence. Here's what he has had to say about Jose Fonte's return prior to kickoff:

#SaintsFC boss @RonaldKoeman has spoken of the importance of having captain José Fonte back in the line-up today – pic.twitter.com/HZ2jGVah1G

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) December 5, 2015

At the other end of the pitch, Graziano Pelle will be licking his lips at facing this Aston Villa defence. He hasn't scored in his last three outings, but his goalscoring record at home this season is impressive, with seven strikes already to his name at St Mary's Stadium.

While Southampton's captain returns, Aston Villa's is missing today. Micah Richards is not included in the matchday squad as he misses out with an injury. In a torrid season for the Villans, Richards has been somewhat of a bright light and his absence will be sorely felt. His centre-back partner from last week - Ciaran Clark - is suspended. So it's Joleon Lescott captaining the visitors and he will line up alongside Jores Okore. They've got a tough opponent on their hands in Graziano Pelle.

Remi Garde has gone with a big change up top too. Jordan Ayew led the line last week and found the back of the net late on in the 3-2 defeat to Watford. He remains in the side, but will be shifted wide by the inclusion of Rudy Gusted, who will no doubt batter and bruise Southampton's defenders.

The French boss confirmed in midweek that Jack Grealish would not be returning to the side as he continues to be punished for his off-field discretions.

Remi Garde has also said that his players lack confidence, which is not all that surprising considering that have not yet won under the new boss.

The discontent is being strongly felt outside the club too. Former Villa goalkeeper Mark Bosnich believes that Remi Garde will relegate the Midlands club this season.

Their run of form is so poor that they are already five points adrift at the foot of the Premier League table. Southampton are nine places higher and 15 points better off. It'll be a pretty big upset if Villa come away with a win!

There's just over 15 minutes until kickoff, so why don't you have a listen to what the guys over at Sports Mole HQ had to say about this game:

UPDATE: It's all over at the Britannia Stadium, where Stoke City have shocked Manchester City to breeze to a 2-0 win. Read the full match report here.

Less than 10 minutes to go, which means it's time for me to make a prediction. I'm going to plump for a 2-0 win for the hosts. I just can't see Villa picking up their first win since the first day of the season anytime soon.

Could we be seeing this again today...?

3 - The last meeting between Southampton and Aston Villa saw Sadio Mané net the quickest hat-trick in PL history (2m 56s). Memories. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 5, 2015

It might well happen, as Villa have made the worst start ever by any Premier League team. Gulp.

KICKOFF: Here we go then! Southampton get us underway, kicking from right to left in their red and white striped home kit.

Bertrand is shoved to the floor on the near touchline by Hutton early on. Here's a chance for Ward-Prowse to swing a ball in.

SHOT! The initial cross is cleared, but then Mane races past Bacuna before pulling the ball back to Tadic. The ball falls on his stronger left foot on the edge of the box, but he curls it over the bar. It was a decent early chance!

CLOSE! They've come even closer! Tadic is the architect this time, as he plays a sumptuous first-time cross into the box from deep, which Pelle slides in to connect with. However, the Italian's effort on the stretch flies narrowly over the crossbar.

This could be a long afternoon for Villa! Lescott slices two clearances, but the visitors are given a breather as they're awarded a soft foul on the edge of their own box.

Southampton have pinned Villa inside their own half in the opening few minutes, with Mane and Tadic looking particularly lively.

CHANCE! Wanyama peels away from Sanchez at the far post, but directs his free header wide of the far post. The Kenyan was back-peddling, but it was still a decent chance to put his side ahead.

Gestede blasts a long ball downfield for Veretout to chase, but it bounces safely into the arms of Steklenburg and Southampton come forward again.

Tadic's deep ball hangs in the air at the far post. As Bacuna tussles with Davis, he wafts his arm in the direction of the ball. Although he didn't make any contact, it was a mindless decision to flail his arm in that fashion!

Pelle escapes in the left channel before pulling the ball back to Tadic, but just as the winger is about to pull the trigger, Okore dashes in the make the block.

Dear oh dear. Sanchez plays a terrible ball behind Hutton and straight to Tadic. However, the Saints winger can't pick out Pelle, who brings down Okore as he tries to win the ball. Any sort of decent ball and Pelle would have been one-on-one with Guzan there!

Guzan plucks Tadic's corner from the air and allows Villa to regain their thoughts after a lacklustre start.

SHOT! Southampton are getting in behind Villa's full-backs with ease. This time, Tadic drifts to the right and picks out Mane, who chests the ball down and blasts a volley high over the bar. Will Saints come to rue these missed chances?

SHOT! Villa's first attempt comes from Bacuna, who picks up Cedric's weak clearance. The Villa left-back then steps inside and unleashes a thunderbolt from 30 yards which whistles wide of the near post. It was never in danger of troubling Stekelenburg, but he really caught hold of that!

OFF THE LINE! How are Aston Villa not behind? Guzman flaps a corner straight to Fonte, who pokes the ball towards an open net, but Gustede deflects it behind for another corner.

CHANCE! This is getting ridiculous! Ward-Prowse's second corner bounces inside the six-yard box before finding Mane. The winger mistimes his run and has to crane his neck behind him to make contact with the ball and his header flies high over the bar. Surely the opening goal is just a few minutes away?

Gana fires in a long-range attempt, but it's straight at Stekelenburg who gathers with ease.

UPDATE: We're somehow still goalless here, but there have only been two goals in the Premier League so far. Riyad Mahrez has put Leicester City 1-0 up at Swansea City, while Delle Alli has given Tottenham Hotspur a 1-0 lead at West Bromwich Albion.

Okore hauls down Pelle as the Italian hunts down a long ball from Cedric, but the Villa defender somehow escapes a booking. The foul took place almost 35 yards from goal, but Ward-Prowse looks to be loitering with intent. Surely not...

Tadic goes for goal, but it hits the wall and Villa hack it clear.

Villa just can't get a touch of the ball. Southampton are knocking it round with ease, but Ward-Prowse ends the passage of play before curling a weak attempt into the arms of Guzan.

CHANCE! Veretout skips down the right wing and pulls a low cross back to Gustede, but the striker wildly swings at thin air. That was Villa's best chance so far!

BOOKING: The first card of the afternoon goes the way of Ward-Prowse, who caught Okore as the Villa defender brought the ball out of defence. It was probably the right decision, but Okore certainly deserved the same punishment for dragging Pelle back a few minutes ago.

Pelle has a snapshot from the edge of the box, but he's crowded out by a mass of Villa bodies and the ball ricochets away.

SAVE! It's Guzan's first save of the game. Mane sends a delicious cross into the area on the volley and Pelle guides it towards goal with his head just after it skipped up off the surface. He does well to direct it on target, but Guzan gets his body behind the attempt to keep it out at his near post.

Villa are defending better now. And by that I mean that they are not being carved open every time Southampton come forward. Small steps, I guess...

Davis fizzes a ball into Bertrand down the left wing, but the full-back's cross is caught by a grateful Guzan.

A reminder of Gestede's aerial prowess as he flicks on Veretout's free kick from the halfway line, but there is no-one around him to pick up the second ball.

Okore and Pelle having a little shoving match. I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of either of those two! They're both big, strapping chaps!

Villa lead totally against the run of play! Hutton attempts to flick on a corner at the near post, but misses the ball entirely. It bamboozles the Saints defence though and bounces all the way across the six-yard box before Lescott arrives at the far post to slam the ball into the net from a couple of yards out!

Southampton come straight down the other end and Wanyama's strike is deflected over the bar by Hutton's outstretched leg.

Quite how Villa are in front is beyond me. They have been very much second best for entire first half and Southampton have missed chance after chance, but Remi Garde's side could be heading for their first win since the first day of the season!

That is Lescott's first ever goal for Villa on the day that he wears the captain's armband.

UPDATE: Only one Premier League game remains goalless at the break, and that's at Old Trafford between Manchester United and West Ham United. For a full list of the current scores, head here.

And Sports Mole's Stephen Topping has already put together a half-time report of the game at St Mary's Stadium here, so you can remind yourselves of the main events from the first half.

Lescott earned himself a hug for netting the opener. There'll be a few more if they manage to hold on for the next 45 minutes!

© Getty Images

KICKOFF: Can Villa hang on? It's bound to be a long 45 minutes!

Pelle attempts a spectacular overhead kick from Cedric's cross, but Villa clear.

CLOSE! Lescott gets a vital touch on Mane's shot, which looked destined for the bottom corner. It's a Southampton corner.

The second half is following a similar pattern to the first, as Southampton are dominating possession and territory again.

Tadic brings down a deep cross at the far post, but his back heel is intercepted as he attempts to find the overlapping Cedric.

Pelle must be so frustrated. Davis hangs a high, hopeful cross up which is easy for Guzan to come and claim. The service into the Southampton striker hasn't been good enough considering how much space and time they've had in wide areas.

Although Villa have been on the back foot for the first 10 minutes of the second half, the goal has clearly given them a boost as they're now flying into tackles and biting at the heels of Southampton's players.

Guzan collects a corner and sends a direct ball into the left channel, which Ayew chases before cutting inside onto his right foot. His shot is weak, but it takes a nick off Cedric and Villa now have a corner for themselves.

Wanyama makes a clumsy challenge on Sanchez 40 yards from goal. Both players have gone down and are now receiving treatment. Could we see changes soon?

It's a disappointing delivery by Veretout, as he gets far too much on his cross and Stekelenburg barely has to move as he catches the ball.

Mane with a clever bit of skill in the middle of the park, but Ward-Prowse doesn't anticipate the flick and Villa regain possession before coming forward. Gestede chests the ball down to Ayew on the edge of the box and the forward's volley is deflected behind for a corner.

Lescott reaches the ball again at the far post, but he's under pressure and his header causes no concern for Stekelenburg.

CHANCE! Cedric skips past Bacuna and swings in a cross. Pelle tries another overhead kick but misses. The ball comes through to Davis though, whose volley looks set for the top corner until Hutton throws himself in the way of the ball. Great block!

SUBSTITUTIONS: Two changes for Saints as they look to change their fortunes. Romeu and Juanmi have come on for Wanyama and Tadic.

Bertrand is in again down the left and sends a dangerous cross in towards the near post, but no Saints players are gambling and Guzan gathers the ball as it bounces.

CHANCE! I've talked about Southampton's poor delivery, but this is a wicked cross from Cedric. He swings a teasing cross towards Juanmi, who leaps and connects with the ball, but glances his header well wide of the far post. He should've at least tested Guzan!

Cedric again with another good long pass. This time he almost picks out Pelle, but the Southampton striker is eased off the ball by Okore just as he looked to be plucking it out of the air.

Juanmi tries to escape Okore with a couple of stepovers inside the box, but the Villa defender stays with him and blocks the forward's shot.

Fonte is forced to hack the ball out for a corner under pressure from Ayew. Southampton will do well to watch Lescott closely this time.

SAVE! Veretout's poor cross is cut out and Davis leads a Southampton charge by picking out Juanmi with a great pass. The Spanish striker steps inside Okore before firing a dipping strike towards goal which Guzan has to push away after diving to his left.

Ayew and Gestede lead a two-on-one break against Van Dijk, but the Saints defender does brilliantly to take the ball off the Villa forward! This game is remarkably open now!

Southampton level with almost a carbon-copy of Lescott's strike! Ward-Prowse's deep corner is turned home by Romeu after the midfielder had lost Sanchez!

SUBSTITUTION: Garde responds by sending on Westwood for Gestede. An interesting change to say the least...

SUBSTITUTION: It's another change for Villa, as Richardsoon replaces Bacuna.

This game is going to and fro as neither side can keep hold of the ball!

CHANCE! WHAT. A. CHANCE! Sanchez clips a great ball to the far post for Westwood, but the midfielder never looked confident as he strode forward to connect with the ball. He slices a wild left-footed volley high and wide from less than 10 yards out. Was that the big chance to win it for Villa?

Gueye's goal bound strike is blocked and then Southampton come forward themselves. It looks like neither side wants a draw!

SUBSTITUTION: Koeman is throwing on a third striker in the shape of Long. Rather surprisingly, it's Mane who makes way.

That was either brave or stupid from Lescott! He allows Pelle's touch to bounce through to Guzan with Juanmi lurking. Luckily for the Villa defender, Guzan is alert and clutches the bouncing ball to his chest!

Romeu has a half-chance to get his second, but he slices a half-volley wide from outside the area under pressure.

Gueye has down on the turf after battling for the ball deep in Southampton's half. It looks like he took a whack to the face in a 50/50 challenge.

He's back on his feet after receiving lengthy treatment, which is good to see.

BOOKING: Hutton goes into the book for catching Juanmi on the far touchline.

Lescott does well to turn behind Ward-Prowse's inswinging delivery from the left wing. The youngster then sends in the corner towards Van Dijk, but the centre-back heads over under pressure.

BOOKING: Guzan earns a yellow card now for taking too long with the goal kick.

FIVE MINTUES OF ADDED TIME: Still plenty of time for either side to win it!

Gueye gives away a cheap foul, giving Ward-Prowse another chance to deliver the ball into the box. However, it's a poor cross and the ball ends up going out for another goal kick.

Sanchez is writhing around on the floor and gesturing towards the bench for treatment. I could be wrong, but I think he's play-acting a little here...

Well, he's back on his feet. He did come into contact with Romeu, but did it warrant that reaction? All that means is that the clock will go on beyond the 95-minute mark.

SUBSTITUTION: Sanchez isn't deemed fit enough to continue, so Agbonlahor comes on to help see the final few minutes out.

He's back in the left-back position cutting out a pass to auxiliary right-winger Fonte. That's something I never thought I'd see today!

CLOSE! Long sends an incredibly ambitious 30-yard shot towards goal and it ripples the side-netting! Guzman was never in real trouble, but it was a good attempt!

We're into the seventh minute of added time now. Surely the whistle will go any second now?

It's all over and Villa have held on for a point! I don't think that result will please either side though. Having taken the lead, Villa will have been hopeful of registering their first win of the season, while Southampton will be understandably displeased after failing to take all three points.

That's all from me, but before I go I'll point you in the direction of Stephen Topping's full-time report, which you can find here. A gentle reminder that there is also live coverage of Chelsea vs. Bournemouth on Sports Mole here. Enjoy the rest of your evening!