Aston Villa gained three points for the first time in over a month at home to Southampton in a game where both teams struggled to score.
As the Premier League comes out of a two-week break, it was a vital win for the home side as they moved into 13th in the table.
The game lacked quality, but the deadlock was broken by Jacob Ramsey when the midfielder scored his first goal of the season.
A corner in the 41st minute led to the only goal of the match, it was taken short, whipped in by Phillipe Coutinho and as Ollie Watkins' header ricocheted off the goalkeeper and then Mohammed Salisu, Ramsey was there to smash the ball in from close range off the crossbar and into the back of the net.
Steven Gerrard's side now sit level on points with The Saints on seven points.
The result was a disappointing one for Southampton as they only have one win this season.
They failed to control the ball in midfield and never looked like scoring with Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez only having one shot on target to deal with.
For the Midlands club, it gives Gerrard a result to build on over the break as he looks to remove doubt over his position at the club.
Here are the player ratings from Villa Park:
Aston Villa
Emiliano Martinez - 7/10
He was rarely tested by the Southampton attack, having to make only one save as the opposition managed one shot on target from seven attempts.
Ashley Young - 6/10
Going forward he failed to impress, however, he kept winger Mohamed Elyounoussi quiet all game and was rarely troubled by his opposition winger.
Ezri Konsa - 7/10
Part of the reason Villa's goalkeeper remained untested in the first half was due to Konsa's ability to clear their crosses with both feet as he defended his box excellently.
Tyrone Mings - 7/10
Similar to his centre back partner he kept Southampton's attack quiet all game. Despite questions over his place in the team, his recent form and quality in the game showed he can be relied on.
Lucas Digne - 5/10
At times in the first half both Moussa Djenepo and Kyle Walker-Peters had the beating of the left back and the attacking quality he has previously shown lacked in this game. Defensively in the second half he was much improved.
Boubacar Kamara - 6/10
He had a competent game in holding midfield cutting out the occasional counter attacks that The Saints posed but was forced to come off due to injury in the 44th minute.
John McGinn- 7.5/10
There have been questions over the new captain's form due to him being substituted often in recent fixtures, but he controlled the midfield throughout the match, covered acres of ground and was the most fired up player on the pitch. A great captain's performance.
Jacob Ramsey - 8/10
The youngster's goal was the difference in this game. He anticipated where Mohammed Salisu's poor clearance would land and was the first to react, smashing the ball home from close range. A crucial goal for his side.
Leon Bailey - 4/10
At times his delivery into the box was superb but his team needed more consistency from him. His play was tentative, and he took too much time on the ball. Consequently, little was created on the right-hand side of the pitch.
Philippe Coutinho - 6.5/10
Throughout the game there were glimmers of the old Coutinho as much of the play went through him as he positioned himself in-between the midfield and defence. It was the quality of his cross that lead to the eventual, scrappy goal. Yet, there were long periods of the game where the quality to create a big chance lacked and his performance still could have been improved upon.
Ollie Watkins - 6/10
Sometimes he held the ball up well and he made some good runs in behind as, particularly in the first half, Villa played a more direct game. However, as the game lacked attacking quality, he mostly was working with scraps rather than any clear cut chances.
Douglas Luiz - 6.5/10
A good replacement for Kamara, Luiz covered a lot of ground and made it hard for the opposition to retain the ball in midfield. Southampton struggled to have possession of the ball in their midfield, in part due to Luiz.
Leander Dendoncker - 6/10
When he came on, he had the job of not doing anything silly to let Southampton score and snatch a point, and it was a job he did competently.
Emiliano Buendia - 6/10
Similar to Dendoncker, he had the job of ensuring that Vaill secured all three points, he may not have created much to secure a second goal, but he did his job well to not give away a late equaliser.
Danny Ings - N/A
Southampton
Gavin Bazunu - 5/10
A game where he also had little to do but when called upon, his long distribution failed to trouble the Villa defence and for the home team's goal his save from Watkins' header was pushed up onto the frame of the goal instead of out of play which allowed Ramsey to pounce and score the goal.
Romain Perraud - 6/10
He was alright going forward in the first half and had a simple task of keeping Leon Bailey quiet which he did well, but he was substituted in the 46th minute for Juan Larios.
Mohammed Salisu - 5/10
Salisu had some poor moments in the game. Often, he went up the pitch to take long throw-ins, but these never tested The Villains' defence. Furthermore, it was his unconvincing defensive header from Bazunu's weak save which led to his side conceding the only goal of the game.
He was rarely tested for long spells of the game and had an average game, but he allowed Ollie Watkins to get his header at goal following the short corner in which the goal was conceded.
Kyle Walker-Peters - 6/10
The young full back showed some promising signs early on. Using his pace to get past Digne and linking up with Moussa Djenepo, he had some spark, with crosses coming into the box. However, for the most part they did not trouble the Villa centre back pairing. Defensively he had an average game.
An disappointing day for the Southampton star. His deliveries are normally swung in perfectly but his dead ball crosses failed to hit the spot between the goalkeeper and the defence. A distinctly average day for the usually impressive midfielder.
Ibrahima Diallo - 5.5/10
The midfielder failed to get into the game and often his team failed to control and keep the ball in midfield.
Adam Armstrong - 5.5/10
A striker who is played on the wing. Another poor display from the attacker. At points he had a good and fast paced press, a feature of Ralph Hassenhutl teams, but he failed to spark the Southampton attack into life and could not to contribute to the attack.
Moussa Djenepo - 6.5/10
Probably the South Coast side's best attacking player. In the first half he had a quick turn of pace and had the beating of fullback Digne, but he failed to break down the resolute Aston Villa defence, who just needed to stay alert and not lose their focus to keep out their opposition.
Mohamed Elyounoussi - 4.5/10
Another lacklustre attacker in the squad. He did not create anything meaningful for his team and was substituted in the 79th minute for 19-year-old Samuel Edozie.
Che Adams - 6/10
Sometimes his hold up play was good, but he never had a meaningful chance created for him to capitalize on.
Juan Larios - 6/10
He had a similar game to Perraud who he came on for, a very average game for the teenager.
Joe Aribo - 5/10
A poor performance in midfield, Southampton failed to control the ball in the middle of the park, and he did not change their sub-par ball retention after he was introduced.
Stuart Armstrong - 5.5/10
A similar game to Armstrong who he replaced; very little changed when he came on and he added little to the faltering attack.
Sekou Mara - 6/10
Coming on for Adams, the 20-year-old could not provide the spark Hassenhutl wanted to break down Aston Villa.
Samuel Edozie - 6/10
Similar to his teammate Mara, he came on for Elyounussi but could not change the poor attack he was a part of.