Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is a doubt for Aston Villa at home to Brentford in the Premier League on Wednesday (8.15pm GMT), manager Unai Emery said.
Argentina international Martinez, who was crowned the world’s best goalkeeper for the second consecutive year at the Ballon d’Or awards in October, was substituted at half-time in Villa’s 3-0 league defeat by Chelsea on Sunday.
“He’s got a problem on his hands,” said Emery, whose side have joint-fewest clean sheets in the top flight this season. “I don’t know how he’s going to feel.”
The Brentford boss: “I want to dominate and control the game against the opposition, but that will be very difficult. Their goalkeeper is playing fantastic, they have very good players in different heights of the pitch and they have players who are fast, skilful and play… pic.twitter.com/fmpmMzTiNr
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 3, 2024
Amy Martinez Injury
Emery said he expected Martinez to be tested further on Tuesday ahead of Villa’s bid to end their eight-match winless streak.
While the Villans have not conceded in any of their five Champions League matches, their only shut out in the league came on October 6 at home to Manchester United, who had only scored five times in seven games at that point.
Martinez was an ever-present in the league before suffering his injury, conceding at least two goals in each of his last four league appearances.
Villa v Brentford: Emery praises the Bees
Eighth-placed Brentford are a point above Villa in the table after taking seven points from their last nine, although no team in the division has taken fewer away points than Thomas Frank’s side have secured in their six home games headquarters.
Emery called the Bees “one of the best consistent teams” in the division last year, adding that the visitors had “different ways” to damage opponents.
Tomorrow night and our fans: “We will need them to support us as they do and of course we need their energy. Hopefully they can pass on their energy, we can also pass on our ability to play highly motivated with good and positive energy and… pic.twitter.com/GCqzspITnv
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 3, 2024
“It’s not the Brentford I knew when I was (manager) at Arsenal in 2018,” he remarked. “They add a lot of things regularly and play brilliant football with the ball.
“They are competitive. They can use long balls and score from a second energy. They can combine, build, pass, advance and use their skills to score.
“Their high pressing is very strong, (as is) their positioning defensively when they have to block low. They have good players in transition.”
Victory could move Brentford up to sixth, while three points for Villa would see them in contention to climb as high as seventh.
