No Room For Sentiment

Saints defender Michael Svensson has admitted Villa were his boyhood heroes, but insists there will be no room for sentiment tomorrow.

Villa face another difficult test, travelling to in-form Southampton, who are ninth in the Premier League.

And the Swedish defender said. ¡§I used to support Villa ¡V not now, I only support the Saints now.

¡§I just used to support Villa in a way that when they won I was happy, when they lost I was sad. I don¡¦t think it is the same to support a team here when you are living in Sweden it is not as passionate.

¡§I don¡¦t think about it in the same way as maybe fans here do, I did support Villa when I was younger but only in the way that everyone used to have a team and I just picked Villa.

¡§I don¡¦t know what it was I liked about Villa, maybe it was the kit! But I can remember Paul Merson playing there and there were some other really good players.¡¨

Svensson also insists the claret and blue troops will be a tough prospect for his Saints side.

"Villa will want to beat us and they¡¦re a good side, I think they should be higher in the league then they are,¡¨ he said.