Michael Owen says he ‘wasn’t sure’ what Emiliano Martinez was doing for Bruno Fernandes’ goal following Aston Villa’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday at Old Trafford.
The former England striker described it as a ‘funny’ and ‘strange’ goal because it started from Emiliano Martinez’s goal kick.
The first ball was won by a Man United player, who put Marcus Rashford through on goal because of Villa’s high line, but he was at a tight angle with Ezri Konsa breathing down his neck.
Despite that, he still managed to open up his body to try and guide the ball into the bottom corner at a slow pace, which was saved by Martinez, but straight into the path of the on-rushing Fernandes.
It proved to be the only goal of the game for Man United against a team that was unbeaten in 10 and managed to score from all their 20 games under Unai Emery, with Owen questioning the man between the sticks, as he told Premier League Productions (30/04/23 at 4:00 pm).
“It was a funny goal really,” said Owen. “It has come from Aston Villa’s own goal kick. It’s a simple header forward and Rashford is just onside.
“That’s a bit of a tame effort. I am not sure what the goalkeeper is doing there. Is it going wide or is it going in? He is just onside Rashford. He breaks the offside trap and hits it quite early. I don’t think you are going to score with that type of pace. Bruno ends up mopping it up and bouncing it over the goalkeeper.
After the FT Owen analysed the goal again: “Marcus Rashford just about staying onside. It was a strange goal, from the goal kick of Aston Villa. I am just not sure. I am still quite undecided whether Martinez could do a little bit more in the Villa goal. It’s a weak shot from Rashford, who just palms it into the path of Fernandes.”
VILLA NEED TO MOVE ON
That’s Villa’s first defeat in ten and it has pushed them into seventh spot in the Premier League table.
They need to move on quickly and forget about that performance at Old Trafford because they weren’t deserving of anything.
The next stop is a short trip across the Midlands to take on Wolves, who were taken apart for six by Brighton at the weekend, so they will be pretty hungry to bounce back from that debacle.
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