Southampton allow struggling Aston Villa to leave with precious point

Southampton halted a run of three straight defeats but had to come from behind to secure a 1-1 draw at home to struggling Aston Villa.

Joleon Lescott gave the visitors an undeserved lead and exceptional opportunity with a goal in the first half, but they remain bottom of the Premier League after substitute Oriol Romeu secured a point.

After Wednesday's 6-1 Capital One Cup defeat at home to Liverpool, Saints manager Ronald Koeman had spoken of his team's lack of balance between defence and attack and his belief it may be necessary to alter their approach.

The Dutch coach retained their familiar 4-3-3 shape, only recalling fit-again captain Jose Fonte for Steven Caulker in central defence, and the promising James Ward-Prowse for Jordy Clasie in midfield.

Koeman may have been worried about his team's poor run, but his concerns were minimal in comparison to Remi Garde.

The Frenchman has overseen two defeats and a draw in the three games since his appointment at Villa, and called in Rudy Gestede, Leandro Bacuna, Jores Okore and Lescott following the 3-2 home defeat to Watford.

Given Garde had yet to improve Villa's fragile confidence, the suspicion remained that an early Saints goal would result in a further loss of belief and another convincing defeat.

Southampton's approach immediately after kick-off suggested they shared that belief, and had they secured the opening goal their efforts deserved a comfortable victory would almost certainly have followed.

Instead, Dusan Tadic struck over the crossbar when Sadio Mane's second-minute burst of pace and cut-back had created space for him to shoot.

A minute later, Graziano Pelle connected too heavily with Tadic's cross, following Victor Wanyama's through-ball, to send the ball even further off target.

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Villa's threat had been almost non-existent by the 19th minute, when Gestede cleared Fonte's close-range toe-poke from crossing the line after goalkeeper Brad Guzan poorly punched a corner into his path.

But when Mane headed over from close range almost immediately after, the home team lost urgency and belief.

The visitors only looked capable of scoring via a set piece or individual error, and took their chance in the 44th minute.

When Jordan Veretout's unremarkable corner evaded Southampton's defence, Lescott was left with the simplest of close-range tap-ins to finish into a near-open goal.

That Southampton rarely looked like equalising no doubt inspired Koeman to introduce Spanish substitutes Juanmi and Romeu in the 63rd minute.

Against Liverpool the manager's changes led to an increasingly one-sided defeat, but on this occasion they had the desired effect.

Juanmi had already threatened with a low shot from the edge of the area that Guzan did well to save when, in the 73rd minute, Southampton won a corner.

Ward-Prowse crossed directly into the penalty area and, from a similar position to Lescott, Romeu did well to reach the ball on the stretch and poke it into the back of the net.

Further chances came the Saints' way in the closing stages when another substitute, Shane Long, went close with a strike from distance, but a winning goal eluded them.

It does little for their hopes of survival, but Villa should be grateful for the draw that means they now have six points from 15 games.