Dean Smith led Aston Villa to a fifth straight defeat and now faces an anxious wait to see if he will have the chance to stop the losing streak.
Adam Armstrong’s third-minute strike was enough to seal victory for Southampton and though Villa improved in the second half, Smith heads into the international break wondering if he will still be in charge when Villa face Brighton on November 20.
Though Smith led Villa to promotion in 2019 and has established them in the Premier League, he is more vulnerable than at any time in his reign. Bankrolled by billionaire owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, Villa have spent £300million since promotion, though they did lose captain Jack Grealish to Manchester City for £100m before this season.