Unai Emery has confirmed that Aston Villa's first-choice goalkeeper, Emi Martinez, was a late withdrawal from the starting line-up against Brighton & Hove Albion due to a back injury.
Late Withdrawal at the Amex
The Argentine international was set to start the Premier League clash at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday, 3rd December 2025, but was forced to pull out after feeling pain in his back. Manager Unai Emery explained that the issue was severe enough to prevent Martinez from completing a normal warm-up before the match.
Bizot Steps Up in Dramatic Victory
Dutch goalkeeper Marco Bizot was called into action for his sixth appearance of the campaign. While he was culpable for Brighton's opening goal, Bizot redeemed himself spectacularly in the dying moments of the game. He produced a crucial save to deny Danny Welbeck a late equaliser, helping to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory for Villa.
The visitors fought back from a goal down with two strikes from Ollie Watkins before half-time. Amadou Onana then put Villa ahead, and Donyell Malen added a vital fourth goal to seal the three points.
Emery Praises Stand-In Keeper
Speaking after the final whistle, Emery praised his deputy goalkeeper's professionalism and crucial contribution. "We have Marco, and Marco is a fantastic guy and professional," Emery said. "He accepts his role. He signed here to be the sub of Emi Martinez. He is ready when he is available and awaits his moment."
The Villa boss acknowledged the difficulty of defending set-pieces at the Amex but highlighted Bizot's maturity. "How he saved the last action was fantastic. He is so mature and responsible," Emery added.
The extent of Martinez's back problem and his potential availability for Villa's upcoming fixture against Arsenal is yet to be confirmed, leaving Emery with a key decision to make regarding his starting goalkeeper.
