In the closely contested Premier League matchup of 21 January 2023, played at St. Mary's Stadium, Aston Villa managed to secure a 1-0 victory against Southampton. The lone goal for the away team was scored by forward Ollie Watkins in the second half at the 77th-minute mark, ably assisted by Douglas Luiz.

In terms of shots on targets, both teams were found to be at parity with five attempts each. Even though the home team had fewer shots off target with only two compared to Aston Villa’s eight, they didn't manage to translate any of these into actual goals. Aston Villa, on the other hand, capitalized on their chances and it eventually paid off.

Looking at goal attempts, the difference in the teams’ shooting accuracy cannot be overstated. Despite generating eight off-target shots to Southampton's two, Aston Villa outperformed the home team in turning one of their on-target chances into the match-winning goal.

Disciplinary actions also played a significant role in the game. Southampton was disciplined once with Lyanco getting a yellow card in the first half. Aston Villa had a more challenging time, earning two yellow cards – one for Douglas Luiz who was also the key player in the sole goal, and the other for Alex Moreno, both received in the second half.

In terms of fouls, Southampton appeared to play a more aggressive game with a total of 19 fouls compared to Aston Villa’s nine. Whether this rise in aggression was a result of the team’s frustration of falling a goal behind or simply a part of their game plan, it didn't prove advantageous given the eventual result.

Aston Villa showcased superior discipline in terms of staying onside, with zero offside calls compared to Southampton's three. It's also worth noting that corner kicks were few and far between in this match, with two for each team.

Overall, a combination of precise shooting, assisted play, and well-maintained discipline gave Aston Villa the edge in this closely contested match. Southampton, despite equal attempts on goal and fewer off-target shots, needs to work more on converting their chances and reducing unproductive aggression to get better results.

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