A SECOND-half penalty save by Aaron Ramsdale - the first of two - preserved hope of a point before Saints were beaten 3-0 by Aston Villa.

Ramsdale had denied Marco Asensio from the spot with just 20 minutes left, but a bit of brilliance by Ollie Watkins opened the scoring 180 seconds later.

Donyell Malen doubled the advantage to make it two goals from Villa substitutes, while Watkins had also won the spot-kick that was not converted.

Ramsdale spectacularly saved a second penalty in added time, denying Asensio again, but John McGinn turned in the rebound to spare his blushes. 

Saints have been beaten 26 times in their 32 Premier League matches this season, setting their new record for league defeats in a single campaign.

It also meant defeat in the first match of interim boss Simon Rusk's second spell in the dugout, and for Adam Lallana in his first match as assistant. 

Rusk only made two personnel changes from the side's 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday, but they came with a system overhaul.

He replaced Joe Aribo and Tyler Dibling with Jack Stephens and Paul Onuachu, returning to a 5-2-3 formation with Mateus Fernandes playing deeper.

Cameron Archer and Kamaldeen Sulemana flanked target man Onuachu, giving Saints bodies in defence and something tangible to play into. 

It worked well and should have resulted in a lead 15 minutes into the match, after a brilliant ball from Kyle Walker-Peters unleashed Archer.

However, the former Villa man found Emi Martinez with a simple cut-back instead of Onuachu, who would have had an open goal to tap into. 

Temperatures rose half an hour into the match after a succession of unfavourable decisions by referee Thomas Bramall began to frustrate Saints.

Tyrone Mings and Jack Stephens disagreed, while Ramsdale sarcastically clapped Marco Asensio for attempting to take a free-kick quickly while he was out of the goal. 

That free-kick was eventually crossed and cleared easily, as the visitors managed 64 per cent of the ball by half-time but failed to test Ramsdale at all.

Rusk had to make a change during the break; Onuachu, who was a fitness doubt ahead of the game, was replaced by teenager Tyler Dibling. 

Saints made a bad start to the second period, but Villa failed to take advantage of their opportunities before the boss could make more changes.

Returning Ross Stewart was tasked with playing 30 minutes after a late cameo at Spurs, while midfielder Will Smallbone was also called upon.

Villa were handed a way to take the lead from the spot after Walker-Peters conceded possession and Jan Bednarek slid in on Watkins.

However, Ramsdale got across to his left to push Asensio's effort away and prompt St Mary's to erupt as though Saints had themselves scored.

He could do nothing to prevent his England teammate's genius just minutes later, when Watkins executed a volleyed chip off the crossbar and in.

Saints surrounded the referee, incensed, demanding an explanation for a foul not given on Fernandes earlier, but possession had been turned over since.

Saints had launched forward on an attack of their own before Dibling, with limited options, lost the ball, and the Villans countered to make it 1-0.

Villa made it two by the 80th minute, when Morgan Rogers slipped a pass to Malen in behind the left-back and the Dutchman finished across Ramsdale.

Saints had a couple of positive moments. Mateus Fernandes nearly caught Martinez out with a strike from the edge of the area, but the Argentine saved. 

Rusk then handed a Premier League debut to 18 year old England youth international Jay Robinson, after the forward's stellar academy form.

The third goal came as McGinn was felled by Stephens in added time, giving Spaniard Asensio a chance to atone for his earlier penalty saved.

He was not able to do so, going the same way and enduring the same result, but Ramsdale could not keep out McGinn's rebound. 

Saints: Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Walker-Peters, Ugochukwu, Fernandes (Robinson, 89), Manning (Sugawara, 82); Kamaldeen (Smallbone, 60); Archer (Stewart, 60), Onuachu (Dibling, h-t).

Unused subs: McCarthy, Aribo, Bree, Wood. 

Booked: Fernandes, Harwood-Bellis, McGinn.

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash (Garcia, 85), Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Tielemans, Onana (Kamara, 89), Ramsey (Malen, 65), Rogers (McGinn, 85), Asensio, Rashford (Watkins, 65).

Unused subs: Olsen, Disasi, Digne.

Booked: McGinn.

Referee: Thomas Bramall.

VAR: Tim Robinson.