Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez put in his best performance of the season to help Unai Emery's side defeat Bournemouth
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez(Image: PA)
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It’s not often that, after a 4-0 win, you feel compelled to write about the winning team’s goalkeeper.
But without Emi Martinez’s penalty save - and indeed the stunning stop he made to deny Justin Kluivert at the start of the second half - Aston Villa may not have won this game.
There’s no doubt that Martinez’s penalty save against Antoine Semenyo was a turning point, even though Villa played some of their best football of the campaign today.
Bournemouth are a very strong side, with quality across all positions, and, more importantly, they are a feared opponent for the tactical plan Andoni Iraola has set up.
So, leading by two goals at the break did not mean that Villa could stroll through the second half, and as it played out, that proved true.
Martinez made the first big save of the game early on, and then denied Kluivert’s deflected effort while back-pedaling, somehow managing to claw the ball from underneath the bar.
By denying Semenyo from the spot in the 67th minute, Martinez has now saved each of the last two penalties he has faced in the Premier League (against Fulham and Bournemouth) - just one fewer than he stopped from the first 21 he faced in the competition (three).
Martinez’s outstanding performance against the Cherries serves as a reminder of just what quality Villa have in their goalkeeping department.
No longer is it a major problem when he is unable to play, because Marco Bizot is a more than adequate replacement, but there is still no doubt that the Argentina international remains a top ‘keeper.
The truth is that it has been a difficult and unusual start to the season for Martinez, who was open to leaving the club last summer. After speaking with Unai Emery, it was also agreed that he would no longer serve as vice-captain.
He has also come under fire from supporters, many of whom won't forgive what has happened in the last months.
But his story at Villa doesn’t need to end on a sour note, whenever that day comes, because there’s so much for Villa to aim for this campaign, and Martinez’s crucial contributions today were proof of how he can help the club achieve its objectives.
What did you make of Villa's performance? Tell us here
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