Aston Villa's remarkable 11-match winning run came to a crashing halt at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night, with goalkeeper Emi Martinez taking to social media afterwards to post a cryptic message about the game's controversial opening goal.
Controversy mars Arsenal's opener
The pivotal moment arrived early in the second half with the scoreline still deadlocked. From a Bukayo Saka corner, Villa's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Martinez clashed in the air with Arsenal defender Gabriel. The ball broke loose and ended up in the net, with the goal credited to the Brazilian centre-back.
Later that evening, Martinez posted a freeze-frame image on his social media channels showing the moment of collision. The picture appeared to show Gabriel's elbow making contact with the goalkeeper as he dropped the ball. Accompanying the image was a caption that read: “The best team won today, we still in good position for the 2nd part of the season,” followed by the hashtags #elbowallow and #UTV.
Arsenal capitalise to end Villa's superb run
Gabriel's 47th-minute opener proved to be the catalyst for a comprehensive Arsenal victory. Martin Zubimendi swiftly added a second goal to double the lead, before further strikes from Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus put the result beyond doubt.
Ollie Watkins managed a consolation for the visitors deep into second-half stoppage time, but it did little to soften the blow of a first defeat in all competitions since late October. Villa's impressive 11-game winning streak, which began in early November, was decisively ended. Their last loss prior to this was a 2-0 defeat at Anfield against Liverpool.
Looking ahead after Emirates setback
Despite the heavy scoreline, Martinez's message struck a conciliatory yet pointed tone, acknowledging Arsenal's superiority on the night while emphasising Villa's strong league position. His use of the hashtag #elbowallow will inevitably fuel debate among fans and pundits regarding the nature of the opening goal.
The result leaves Unai Emery's side with work to do in the second half of the campaign, but their form prior to this fixture demonstrates their credentials as top-four contenders. The focus now shifts to how Villa respond to this setback when Premier League action resumes.
