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Aston Villa boss Remi Garde hailed his makeshift defence for their backs-to-the-wall battling at Southampton.

It was a new look backline with Jores Okore and Joleon Lescott in the centre and Leandro Bacuna pressed into action as an emergency left-back.

Only right-back Alan Hutton remained from the defeats to Everton and Watford, in which Villa conceded seven goals.

Garde was forced into changes by a suspension to Ciaran Clark and an injury to captain Micah Richards and he chose to drop Kieran Richardson.

Poor finishing from Saints spared Villa another defeat, but the claret and blue rearguard deserved a slice of fortune, for their determined defending, even though they were afflicted by nerves before the break.

"They did very well," said Garde.

"They were helped by all the other players, which was not really the case in the previous two games.

"When everybody is focused on this kind of defending and making efforts to regain the ball it's easier for the back four.

"Today they did very well.

"Jores was very strong and Joleon played with the experience that he has. Leo Bacuna as well did well on the left, he's not used to that.

"All these guys did that for the team and it's very important to have that spirit in the period where we are."

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