Through Sam Dean
Never one to back down, Emiliano Martinez relished the first ninety minutes of this wild and intense battle against his old team. Some could refer to it as gamesmanship, while others might label it time-wasting. In any case, he was booked for it and had definitely infuriated the away supporters with it.
Martinez was formerly well-liked by those Arsenal supporters, but since moving to Aston Villa, things have worsened between them.
It is difficult to put into words how happy the Arsenal fans were during stoppage time at Villa Park. Martinez made the breakthrough by accident, but in the opposite net, with the game deadlocked at 2-2. Martinez dove beneath Jorginho’s strike as it cannoned against the bar and bounced gently off the back of his head.
Enter mayhem in the away end as the double delights of three points and defeating the main rival poured into the veins of Arsenal’s away supporters. And in fact, after four games without a victory, the Arsenal players desperately needed this release.
There were still seconds left, and there was more joy ahead. Arsenal scored quickly on the opposite end as Martinez frantically raced upfield in an attempt to salvage a late equalizer. Gabriel Martinelli had an open goal waiting for him, and he celebrated before he had even completed the opportunity. Game over, 4-2, and the title chase is still very much in play.
Unai Emery stood, flushed, in one dugout. Villa was ahead 2-1 at the break, and this reunion with his old team had got off to such a great start. In the other, Mikel Arteta celebrated his comeback by jumping into the arms of his coaching staff.
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