The Aston Villa victory 3-2 against West Ham at the Olympic Stadium in London consolidated the Birmingham team in third place in the Premier League, just three points behind leader Arsenal. However, the most striking news was the absence of Emiliano “Dibu” Martínezwho was not part of the squad due to a back injury that he has been carrying since the beginning of December.
The Argentine goalkeeper, a fundamental piece for both the club and the national team, suffered lower back pain on December 3 during the warm-up prior to the match against Brighton, which prevented him from playing that match. Although he managed to return to the starting lineup in the 2-1 victory over Arsenal three days later, the discomfort persisted and sidelined him again from the match against Basel in the UEFA Europa League, as well as the recent duel against West Ham. The technician Unai Emery He chose to preserve the health of the 33-year-old goalkeeper, prioritizing his full recovery for the next challenges.
In goal, the Dutchman Marco Bizot He assumed ownership and defended the villain’s goal during the victory in London. The development of the match was dizzying: after 30 seconds, Mateus Fernandes put West Ham ahead after a defensive error by Ezri Konsa. Aston Villa’s reaction was immediate and, after nine minutes, a cross from John McGinn was intercepted by Konstantinos Mavropanos, who scored an own goal to equalize the score. Jarrod Bowen put the hosts ahead again in the 24th minute, deflecting a shot from Freddie Potts.
The second half marked the resurgence of those led by Emery. At 50 minutes, Morgan Rogers He received a cross from Youri Tielemans and scored precisely to establish the tie. The dynamics of the match became more complicated, with numerous infractions and a goal disallowed to Bowen for offside. The income of Emiliano Buendía and Lucas Digne brought freshness to the visiting team.
The definition came ten minutes from the end, when Rogers, from 30 meters, executed a powerful shot that beat Alphonse Areola and sealed the final 3-2. This double from Rogers was decisive for Aston Villa to add its sixth consecutive victory in all competitions, extending a positive streak that keeps it in the fight for the Champions League places.
The absence of Draw Martínez It translates into two consecutive games without playing and three absences in the club’s last four official matches. The coaching staff and management hope that the Argentine goalkeeper can return fully recovered, given the demanding schedule ahead, with clashes against Manchester United and Chelsea.
With this victory, Aston Villa It reached 31 points, placing itself behind Arsenal (36 points) and Manchester City (34). The Birmingham team continues to consolidate its candidacy in the Premier League, while awaiting the return of its starting goalkeeper to maintain the defensive solidity that characterizes it.
