Martínez wins December Save of the Month award!

The Argentine stunned The City Ground when he denied the home side a goal with an incredible reflex stop.

Nicolás Domínguez thought he’d scored with a close-range header in the second half, only to see the Aston Villa ’keeper show amazing reflexes to claw his effort off the goalline. 

It’s the first time Martínez has picked up the award, and he was happy to add it to his growing collection.

“Finally, I won one,” he joked.

“I’ve been nominated so many times and never had the chance to win it.

“It was a really good stop. It was a shame that we couldn’t get the win after the stop, but that’s why you work a lot of hours during the week, especially through the winter when it’s cold and you still need to dive 100 times a day.

“It’s one for me and the goalie coach.”

When asked where the save ranks among his other top stops, Martínez added: “It would rank first if we’d have won the game.

“The World Cup save (vs Randal Kolo Muani) has to be up there as the best I’ve ever done because of the time and technique, but this one is up there as well.

“The reaction time and the fact I grabbed it and dug it back into play. Sometimes it helps to win the game but unfortunately it didn’t.

“It’s a bittersweet save.”