The clash between Arsenal and Aston Villa for matchday 23 was pretty even, with both sides fighting until the last minute. In fact, at minute 90, both teams were tied, and everything indicated that the points would be shared.
But at 90+3, a mid-range shot from ex-Chelsea Jorginho hit the post and bounced off the head of Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to give the Gunners the lead.
Aston Villa continued to fight, and at 90+7, they got a corner kick. Emiliano Martinez abandoned his goal to attack in the Arsenal box to try to get the equalizer, but things did not go well. The Gunners managed to control the ball afterward, and Fabio Viera launched a counterattack with Gabriel Martinelli, resulting in the fourth goal for Arsenal.
Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT, Villa boss Unai Emery confessed that he did not like Martinez’s action at all: “Our game plan is, of course, quality really and on the pitch they have to take the decision.
“He decided in the last action to go to the corner offensively, but I don’t like it.
“But I told him nothing, before or after because in all my career I have never told our goalkeepers to do it and the statistical data is going against the teams that are going with the goalkeeper more than scoring any goals.”
When asked if he has told the goalkeeper not to do it again, Emery replied: “He can learn for the next matches.”
With this result, Arsenal continues to cling to the top of the table with two points over Manchester City and one game less.
For its part, Aston Villa fights to get out of the middle of the table.