Aston Villa defeated Arsenal 1-0 Wednesday night, handing them their second Premier League loss of the year. The fact that former Arsenal player Emiliano Martinez maintained a clean sheet and former manager Unai Emery orchestrated the win only made the defeat more painful.
Martinez, an ex-Gunner, kissed the Aston Villa badge after the game and wasn’t too enthusiastic about the celebrations, being called “the ultimate wind-up” by BeIN Sports.
Unai Emery, on the other hand, won with far greater dignity. When asked if defeating Arsenal made him feel more satisfied considering his time there, the Villa manager said, “No, not really.”
During the game, Emi Martinez also got into a heated altercation with Kai Havertz of Arsenal when the German attempted a late tackle. It shouldn’t be shocking that the Argentine kissed the Villa badge after the win because this isn’t the first time he’s upset Arsenal supporters.
Emiliano Martinez made the proper choice for his career when he decided to leave Arsenal for Aston Villa because he was never going to be the best player there. Even yet, it’s evident that he still feels cheated that Mikel Arteta didn’t give him a fair opportunity to be Arsenal’s first choice.
Even with the loss, Arsenal is still one point ahead of Aston Villa in the standings. The Gunners’ next Premier League matchup is against Brighton, while Unai Emery’s team travels to Brentford.
With two points more than Manchester City in fourth place right now, Aston Villa is very much in the hunt for a spot in the top four. Are they, though, competing for the title? That is still to be determined.
