Hello and welcome back to yet another episode of Monday Night Football taking the current Premier League back in time to 1997. This time out you cast your votes:

I really cannot hide my disappointment that Burnley vs. Bournemouth got so few votes. Anyway, last week you voted for Arsenal vs. Newcastle, a flash back to the 1997/8 FA Cup final. We predicted a bore draw but in reality, boring-boring Newcastle got absolutely pumped at the Emirates like the victim in a Steve Bruce novel.

Back to this week’s action. Southampton sit in mid-table mediocrity on a three-game losing run. Meanwhile the Villains are in the thick of a relegation rumpus and haven’t won in two games

Line-Ups:

Southampton likely to stick to their tried and trusted home setup of 4-4-2 looking to supply and in-form Danny Ings.

Meanwhile, Dean Smith’s Aston Villa will probably persist with their attempts to ‘play football properly’ despite their relegation situation, looking to make the most of Grealish.

Kick-off:

We kick-off at a wet and windy St. Mary’s Stadium. Only 2 minutes in and Wesley glides past the sleeping Southampton defence to fire beyond a woeful McCarthy. Southampton up the pressure with a number of corners but the break comes on 21 minutes when Ings plays the ball back across goal, Heaton slips and Ward-Prowse pokes into an empty net.

Southampton’s 4-4-2 working better so far, but Long has been wasteful.

Meanwhile for Villa, Grealish has struggled to get into the game.

Second half:

Half-time see’s the introduction of Che Adams for Shane Long and it makes all the difference as Southampton take a 3-1 lead only to be pegged back and then kill the game on 91 minutes.

Ward-Prowse the hero with the complete performance.

The Villains scored two, but their weakness was in defence, Heaton with a terrible display.

In the end Ralph wrecked it for Aston Villa with the tried and trusted CM9798 4-4-2 getting the better outcome. The introduction of Che Adams seemingly turning the heat up too much for Dean Smith’s men. Will Southampton solidify their safety at Villa’s expense? We wait and watch.

Back in time:

Back in April 1998 this was a closing season fixture between the two sides that Aston Villa won 2-1 at The Dell featuring stars such as Jason Dodd, Ian Taylor and David Hirst. But what did CM9798 think about that?

Line Ups:

The Result:

In the end the result went the same way as that April day at The Dell in real life, only this time a solitary penalty from Yorke after a foul from Dryden was the decider.

And that’s a wrap on another Monday Night Football with CM9798. How these teams have marginally changed positions in their levels of averageness over the last 23 years. We’ll see you again next week, keep an eye out for the result and the next poll.