BBC pundit Marcus Albrighton was not the only one who felt the deadlock had finally been broken thanks to Nottingham Forest’s Nicolas Dominguez.
The game at the City Ground was bleak until Morgan Gibbs-White headed in a corner for Forest and midfielder Dominguez ducked and headed goalwards from just four yards out.
The ball passed Emiliano Martinez in the Aston Villa goal. But somehow the Argentine goalkeeper reached back, stopped the ball on the goal line and pulled it away from the goal.
Martinez’s defense proved crucial when Jhon Duran scored moments later, but Forest started the fight late and won 2-1 – and Martinez will be disappointed that he didn’t save the equalizer.
Former Wales defender Ashley Williams told BBC Match of the Day: “It was the best save I have ever seen. He’s so smart, he understands where he is and what he needs to do. It’s facing the wrong way.
“Then the ups and downs of the goalie shortly thereafter allow it to become routine.”
“I thought it was over, but what a great save,” Albrighton added. “Martinez fell so low and so fast that he somehow held on to it.
“It’s not even facing the right way and he manages to rip it off.
“I really can’t believe it. There are centimeters left from going inside, it’s amazing. It’s one of the best I’ve ever seen.”
Martinez, 32, won the Golden Glove trophy after helping Argentina win the 2022 World Cup, and speaking on Sky Sports, pundit Jamie Redknapp compared Saturday’s save to one of the greatest saves of all time – England goalkeeper Gordon Banks at the World Cup in 1970
“We are talking about Pele from Gordon Banks,” Redknapp said. “I can’t imagine a better Premier League intervention in my life.
“He saved him somehow. It’s almost like a magician’s trick. It’s truly a revelation.”
