Aston Villa ready to sanction Emi Martinez sale after stunning development vs Feyenoord
Feyenoord had 13 efforts on goal in the first half against Aston Villa but still fell to a 2-0 defeat.
Emi Martinez was replaced by Marco Bizot just before kick-off, with the Argentina international picking up an injury in the warm-up at De Kuip.
Aston Villa were unfortunate not to have a man advantage in the first half when Ollie Watkins was hacked down by Anel Ahmedhodzic.
However, Villa didn’t need the man advantage to secure the win, with Bizot stepping up for them again in the Europa League.
Marco Bizot stands out for Aston Villa vs Feyenoord
Aston Villa fans were left excited by the line-up against Feyenoord, with Pau Torres adding defensive stability.
However, the late change in goal will have left some supporters concerned.
Bizot stepped up against Bologna last week when Martinez was unavailable through injury.
He managed to do the same again against Feyenoord, with the Dutch side having an expected goals of 1.43 compared to Villa’s at 0.61.
Emery’s side had just six shots and three on target compared to Robin van Persie’s side, who had 19 shots and eight on target.
| Feyenoord | Team | Aston Villa |
| 1.43 | Expected goals | 0.61 |
| 19 | Shots | 6 |
| 8 | Shots on target | 3 |
| 7 | Attempts outside the box | 4 |
Bizot made notable late saves from Cyle Larin and Ayase Ueda, who caused Emery’s defence problems all evening.
Well-fashioned second-half goals from Emi Buendia and John McGinn earned Villa their third win in as many games.
However, with Bizot becoming the first Aston Villa keeper to make eight saves in a game and keep a clean sheet since December 2019, it leaves Emery with big decisions to make in goal.
Emi Martinez could be sold in January
Injury issues are starting to catch up to Martinez, and Bizot doesn’t appear to have joined the Villans just to sit on the sidelines.
After Martinez pushed for a move to Manchester United in the summer, it left his future at Villa Park was left in doubt, especially with his likely massive wages.
After recent developments against Feyenoord, it could be difficult for the 33-year-old to work his way back into the side.
Bizot’s performance was just too good for Emery to drop him for the weekend’s game against Burnley.
Either way, Aston Villa fans will be grateful that they finally have a backup goalkeeper who can step up when they need him most.
Aston Villa may finally be ready to sanction that long-anticipated exit.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Aston Villa news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @villanews247