So too was the energy and the spirit which has underpinned the club’s remarkable transformation since Unai Emery first arrived nearly three years ago.
Villa 0 Crystal Palace 3, his team’s first defeat on home soil in more than 10 months - and their first in B6 in the Premier League for more than a year - bore all the worst hallmarks of a season which simply has not yet got going.
Toothless in attack, Villa were wobbly in defence.
On this evidence it will take more than some decent deadline day signings to fix the problems.
Emery’s men have ended August with no goals and just a solitary point from their opening three Premier League matches.
They were well beaten here, by a Palace team who are truly their bogey team, the scoreline a repeat of April’s FA Cup semi-final.
Martinez’s absence, as speculation swirls around a possible move to Manchester United, might have dominated the pre-match chatter but the issues extend well beyond a missing goalkeeper.
Villa’s season has simply not got going and for the first time since Emery arrived in November 2022 there is an alarming lack of cheer, both on and off the field.
This is the first time since 1997 that Villa have failed to score in any of their first three Premier League matches.
Trailing to Jean Philippe-Mateta’s first half penalty, Villa were pushing for an equaliser in the second half when Marc Guehi, another player whose future is under scrutiny but who did turn out for his team, scored a stunning goal to double the advantage.
The exodus from home areas which greeted Ismaila Sarr’s 78th minute strike was reminiscent of some of the bleakest moments in Villa’s recent history.
Heading into the international break, Emery has much to ponder.
Martinez wasn’t the only player missing from Villa Park. With Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana missing through injury and Ross Barkley still not fit, Emery’s starting XI almost picked itself.
There was a first Villa start for Evann Guessand, while Donyell Malen got his first start of the season.
It was still Martinez on everyone’s mind though and the Villa Park crowd made their feelings clear at kick-off.
“Marco Bizot, the world’s No.1,” sang the Holte End.
The trouble was Bizot was involved in the first half’s key moment. Palace, soaking up Villa’s early pressure, barely had an attack before Mateta picked out the run of Daichi Kamada. Through on goal, he went over the legs of Villa’s keeper and though the precise amount of contact was difficult to ascertain, referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the spot.
Mateta coolly sent Bizot the wrong way with his penalty and then received a yellow card for booting the corner flag.
Villa then put together their best move of the match to date but Guessand’s shot was straight at Henderson in the visiting goal.
Palace were starting to boss things and Villa fortunate Daniel Munoz’s cross was just too high for Ismaila Sarr, rising at the back post.
The home side looked short of ideas but finally troubled Palace when they went direct. John McGinn lofted a pass over the backline and suddenly Watkins was through on goal. The striker tried to loft a finish beyond Henderson at close range but the keeper stood tall to save.
Emery replaced Guessand with Emi Buendia at the break and Villa pushed forward, Henderson beating away a rising Tielemans drive.
The keeper made a far more impressive save when he reacted to push away a Morgan Rogers effort which had taken a nick off Chris Richards and was threatening to creep inside the near post.
But just as in the first half, it required just one Palace attack to undo Villa. Konsa’s clearance fell to Guehi on the edge of the box and he curled a superb effort into the top corner.
That seemed to knock the stuffing out of Villa and with 12 minutes remaining, Sarr put the result beyond any doubt, heading home at the far post after Munoz flicked on a long throw.
**Key Moments**
21 GOAL Jean-Philippe Mateta puts Palace ahead from the penalty spot after Marco Bizot brings down Daichi Kamada.
68 GOAL Marc Guehi doubles Palace’s lead, curling home from the edge of the box.
78 GOAL Ismaila Sarr heads home at the far post after Anthony Munoz flicks on a long throw.
**Teams**
Villa (4-2-3-1): Bizot, Cash (Burrowes 74), Konsa, Mings, Maatsen (Bogarde 84), McGinn (Torres 74), Tielemans, Malen (Digne 83), Guessand (Buendia HT), Rogers, Watkins Subs not used: Rowe, Jimoh-Aloba, Patterson, Proctor (gk).
Palace (3-4-3): Henderson, Richards, Guehi, Lacroix, Munoz, Hughes (Pino 71), Kamada (Clyne 86), Wharton (Lerma 56), Mitchell, Sarr, Mateta (Devenny 85) Subs not used: Cardines, Esse, Rodney, Sosa, Benitez (gk).