Adam Armstrong's early goal helped Southampton continue their Premier League revival as they inflicted a fifth defeat in a row on Aston Villa.
Dean Smith's side are short on confidence and got off to a disastrous start with Matt Cash failing to clear a long ball and Armstrong smashing in a sensational first-time effort from 20 yards.
Villa were a mess in the first half and Southampton could have led by several goals at the break, while the visitors' Anwar el Ghazi was lucky to avoid a second booking for a blatant dive.
But Villa looked like a new side in the second half with El Ghazi and Emiliano Buendia going close.