Unai Emery reacted to Emiliano Martinez's blunder in Aston Villa's 2-0 loss at Liverpool.placeholder image
Unai Emery reacted to Emiliano Martinez's blunder in Aston Villa's 2-0 loss at Liverpool. | Getty Images
How Unai Emery reacted to Emiliano Martinez gifting Mohamed Salah his 250th goal for Liverpool.
Unai Emery has admitted his style of football ultimately led to Emiliano Martinez’s huge blunder away at Liverpool on Saturday night.
Aston Villa looked competitive and were unlucky not to score the first goal as Morgan Rogers and Matty Cash both hit the post in the opening 20 minutes, however Liverpool broke the deadlock just before half time. Mohamed Salah’s 250th goal for the Reds was one of the easiest he’ll ever score as Martinez passed the ball straight into his path for an open net.
Once Liverpool went ahead, they didn’t look like losing. Ryan Gravenberch’s deflected strike from range then made sure of that, giving the hosts a two-goal advantage before they saw out their first Premier League clean sheet of the season.
Emery assumes responsibility for Martinez howler
Had it not been for Martinez’s error, Villa could have definitely made more of a game of it at Anfield. The World Cup-winning goalkeeper was certainly at fault as he sold Pau Torres very short and then didn’t react quickly enough to sprint back, however Emery assumes responsibility.
Villa are often set up to play through the opposition press, starting with Martinez and progressing through the likes of Torres and Boubacar Kamara. But the ball didn’t even make it to its first recipient as Martinez’s pass attempt lacked the necessary power and direction, gifting Liverpool’s ‘Egyptian King’.
“It was easy for Salah. It was a huge mistake but one thing in our process under my responsibility,” Emery admitted during his post-match press conference. “I accept it and we build a team here through the style we want to keep in our process in the club and in the next matches.”
Warning sent to Villa players
Continuing his reflection on the 2-0 defeat, Emery sent a warning to his players to steer clear from making similar errors in the future. “We must avoid huge mistakes like we made today in the first goal we conceded,” Emery added.
“But it’s something part of our process and we are going to analyse, to identify how we will build in these circumstances for the next matches. But of course, through it we are feeling comfortable and strong. The players are getting the level through our position and our idea.”
Villa, who had won their previous four Premier League games before their trip to Merseyside, have an opportunity to make amends twice before the November international break. The Villans host Maccabi Tel-Aviv in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday before taking on AFC Bournemouth on Sunday, also at Villa Park.
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