Remi Garde warns Villa players to behave at Christmas

Southampton boss Ronald Koeman says Aston Villa star Jack Grealish deserves his punishment and feels it is his responsibility to learn from his actions, the Mirror report.

The 24-year-old striker has scored three of Villa’s last four goals in the Premier League and is Villans’ attacking top-scorer at par with Benin striker Rudy Gestede.

The Villa boss said in his media conference on Thursday: “Jack has continued to train with the Under-21 squad and won’t be included in the squad for Southampton”.

And there is a discernible pattern to Villa’s possession play under Garde though they desperately needed more creativity in the final third. Villa, who are bottom of the table and have not won for 13 league games, will arrive on the south coast without Jack Grealish after the young winger was left out for a second successive week.

“He has not had many opportunities but he has very good skill in the opposition box”.

Villa are bottom of the Barclays Premier League and seven points from the safety line but Garde will not call on Grealish to help them at St Mary’s.

“At the moment Jordan has good, strong ability to score as he showed in the last game”.

Garde added: “It’s mainly about confidence but as individual players everyone has to improve the level we are playing at the moment”. “He knew that. I know when he might return, he knows as well and when he will I will tell you”. Garde wants his players to be careful at Christmas and focus on their jobs.

The former Arsenal player and Lyon coach oversaw an encouraging 0-0 draw at home to Manchester City last month, but since then they have suffered a 4-0 loss at Everton and 3-2 defeat at home to Watford.

Jores Okore or Joleon Lescott will start for either Clark or Richards in defence but Jordan Amavi (knee) is out for the season.