“We are all human and can make a mistake, but If we want to be in the top seven teams we have to reduce the mistakes”- Unai Emery refuses to blame Emi Martinez for Forest defeat but says Villa needs to cut out costly errors

Unai Emery refused to criticise Emi Martinez after his error allowed Nottingham Forest to double their advantage against Aston Villa in a 2-0 win at the City Ground.

There was nothing the Argentina number one could do to prevent Ola Aina’s opener as the right-back drilled the ball into the corner of the Villa net from outside the box inside the opening five minutes of the match. Forest started the second half as they did the first, this time Orel Mangala scoring just minutes after the restart.

Martinez tried to beat the ball away from goal rather than parrying it wide, which in hindsight was the wrong decision as Mangala’s effort bounced over the keeper and the line. After full-time, Emery was asked about Martinez’s performance, but was not willing to criticise him.

“We are all human and can make a mistake,” Emery said. “It is not just the goalkeeper. I am never punishing the mistake of the players because I want to try to get confidence in everyone.

“When we are facing other teams we have to try and get better than them. Never punishing the mistakes. It is not just Emiliano, it is everyone.”

Speaking about Villa’s defeat, Emery said: “Today was a key moment, if we could really be a contender to be in the top seven teams and we lost the opportunity,” Emery said. “I believe in the players, I know they can but we have to be very demanding. We can’t concede chances like we did today.

“If we want to be in the top seven teams we have to try to reduce the mistakes we made today.

“The key moment in 38 matches is every match. Today was a key moment to take some distance with the other teams and get in the top-four positions but we lost this opportunity, now the next match against Fulham next week is a challenge and it is again a key moment.”