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Villa's anniversary bash not likely to end well

I would usually much rather support a villain rather than a saint - give me the Joker over Batman any day of the week - but I can’t see past an away win when Aston Villa host Southampton on Monday.

The game marks Villa’s 140-year anniversary but never mind all the history of Spinksy, Birchy and Alan McInally the former European champions are in a fine mess.

One point from the last seven matches and one goal scored isn’t exactly the sort of form to get the locals into the party spirit.

Bad-boy Christian Benteke is suspended, skipper Ron Vlaar is set to miss out through injury and you know things are really bad when Philippe Senderos’s absence is seen as a blow.

Still, at least Alan Hutton returns and there’s always the bench to find some inspiration from Joe Cole, Kieran Richardson and Darren Bent.

There can’t have been many times over the last 140 years that Southampton have gone off odds-on to win away at Villa but it’s fully deserved.

Saints are second in the table, scoring loads of goals, conceding virtually no goals and I really like the look of wide boys Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane.

As Jessie J said it’s all about the Mane, Mane, Mane...

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