Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez returned to the starting XI for the trip to Everton
Emiliano Martinez gestures after the Premier League match between Everton and Aston Villa
Emiliano Martinez gestures after the Premier League match between Everton and Aston Villa
Emi Martinez took to social media to post a message to Aston Villa fans following the draw with Everton.
It was Villa’s second stalemate of the season, after a goalless draw with Newcastle United on the opening weekend.
Following back-to-back defeats against Brentford and Crystal Palace, Villa travelled to Merseyside hoping to get their campaign off the ground.
But with clear-cut chances hard to come by, the next best outcome - aside from a win - was keeping a clean sheet. And Martinez delivered just that on his return to the starting XI.
He was Villa’s standout performer, making several crucial saves - denying Beto and Jack Grealish in the first half, before tipping Michael Keane’s header over the bar in the second.
It was the perfect response from Martinez after a turbulent end to the summer transfer window, which saw him miss the match against Palace. Unai Emery had left him out of the squad, believing the goalkeeper wasn’t in the right frame of mind to play.
But after shutting out Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Martinez was the last Villa player to leave the pitch, applauding the travelling supporters. He tapped the club crest on his chest and blew kisses to the fans before heading down the tunnel.
Posting on X after the match, Martinez wrote: “When I wear the crest, I give nothing less than my all. #UTV”
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