Aston Villa manager Unai Emery claimed it was too “cold” to wait and shake hands with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta following his side’s poor 4–1 defeat in London, while goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez aimed a subtle dig at Gabriel for the defender’s opening goal.
The Villans saw their 11-game winning streak come crashing down on Tuesday evening at the hands of the league-leaders. Arsenal found the back of the net four times in the second half to go into the new year five points clear of Manchester City, who have a game in hand.
When the final whistle sounded at the Emirates, Emery headed down the tunnel without finding Arteta first, but the manager played coy with the media when asked about the incident.
Aston Villa’s winning run comes to an emphatic end at the hands of the Gunners…
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) December 30, 2025
Title statement made. pic.twitter.com/QpDwQJMUQM
“Yes, but it’s simple,” the 54-year-old told Sky Sports. “You can watch. After [finishing] the match, always my routine is quick, shake hands and go with my coaches, with my players, or go to the dressing room.
“And I was waiting, I was waiting. Of course, he was happy and he was with his coaches and I decided to go inside. But for me, no problem. I can’t wait, it was cold.”
Arteta later said everything was “good” between the managers and claimed Emery’s swift exit is just “part of the game” and “not an issue.”
Martínez Takes Aim at Gabriel for Controversial Opening Goal
Unlike his manager, Martínez opted to take a more targeted approach following Aston Villa’s first defeat since Nov. 1. The Argentine went to social media to subtly call out the officials for not disallowing the Gunners’ opener on the night.
Gabriel caught Martínez with a trailing elbow as the centre back went up to meet Bukayo Saka’s delivery from the corner flag in the 48th minute. The goalkeeper fumbled the ball in the air and it hit the Brazilian on its way into the back of the net.
He added “elbow allow” to the end of the post to hit out at the decision. Gabriel responded mischievously by liking the photo.
Despite the loss, the Villans come into the new year in third place of the Premier League, trailing Arteta’s men by just six points.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Unai Emery, Emi Martinez Deliver Bitter Responses to Lopsided Arsenal Defeat.
