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PA
World Cup-winning keeper was forced to pull-out during the warm-up.
Unai Emery heaped praise on Marco Bizot after the back-up keeper was again called into action late for Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest.
Bizot stepped up to start at the City Ground with just 20 minutes notice when Emi Martinez pulled out during the warm-up for the third time this season.
The 35-year-old, signed from Brest last summer, made big saves from Neco Williams and Morgan Gibbs-White as Villa picked up another point in their push for Champions League football.
Martinez has struggled with a calf injury at times this season and again experienced pain around
Emery said: “He was telling us, just in the warm up, he was not feeling comfortable with his calf.
“He was feeling painful. And of course, the most important thing is how Marco responded with this circumstance. It's really fantastic.
“Marco Bizot is really fantastic. Of course, he (Martinez) needs to understand his pain, and in the circumstances just before the match, he was failing.
“And in this situation, is ‘okay, change and another player’ and now how he played today.
“Marco is really fantastic, and to be ready, because Marco Bizot is a fantastic goalkeeper, fantastic experience, and he's intelligent. He's a fantastic guy.”
Martinez also dropped out of wins at Feyenoord and Brighton earlier in the season after complaining of pain in the warm-up, while Bizot replaced him at half-time during January’s 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace.
Asked if he could still depend on the Argentina international, Emery replied: “My only decision, or my only focus to everything that happened is to try to have a good response.”
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