Emery confirms Villa goalie Emi Martinez came off with an injury in Palace loss – “He was in discomfort” | OneFootball

Aston Villa continue to struggle on the road. The Villans suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

This latest Villa setback is their seventh loss in their last nine Premier League away games. The Villains delivered a disjointed performance, allowing a rampant Palace side to exploit their defensive frailties.

Many Villa players fell short of expectations. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez endured a torrid evening between the sticks.

The Villa shot-stopper was at fault for the Palace opening goal in the 29th minute when he failed to deal with a Chris Richards header. Martinez inadvertently parried the ball into Ismaila Sarr, who made no mistake tapping home.

His night went from bad to worse as he came off at half-time due to an apparent injury. While the exact nature of the problem remains unclear, his absence proved costly for Villa.

Villa back-up goalie Robin Olsen came on as his replacement but struggled, conceding three second-half goals as Palace ran riot.

Following the match, Villa boss Unai Emery updated the media on the Martinez situation during his post-match press conference.

“He was feeling a little bit of pain yesterday,” Emery revealed (via Birmingham Mail). “He trained and felt good during the warm-up, but in the first half, he told us he was in discomfort.

“We decided to take him off as a precaution. I don’t know exactly what the injury is yet. We have to assess him further.”

Martinez is an important player as Emery noted after his penalty heroics versus Lille, and his potential absence would be a massive blow for Villa. The Villains must recover from this defeat with excellent performances against Cardiff City, Club Brugge, and Brentford in the coming games.

The Villains will hope to have Martinez back in time for their upcoming fixtures. Villa must quickly regroup to avoid further setbacks as they aim to turn their form around.