The 5-1 scoreline on Saturday between Newcastle United and Aston Villa looked emphatic but the truth is Newcastle could and indeed should have scored more.
It’s not often you can see a goalkeeper concede five goals, almost get sent off and still technically have had a good game, but Emi Martinez managed that for Aston Villa against Newcastle on Saturday.
Newcastle ran out 5-1 winners on the day but were it not for some superb saves from Martinez it could have been a lot more. Alexander Isak, Sandro Tonali and Callum Wilson were all foiled by the World Cup-winning goalkeeper in one-on-one situations.
Martinez made a fortunate save towards the end of the game to deny Wilson
Callum Wilson definitely feels like he should have converted his chance which was saved by the outstretched leg of Martinez late in the game.
While Wilson acknowledges he should have buried the chance, he also believes that Harvey Barnes could have played the ball into him sooner which would have given him a better chance of finding the net.
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Speaking about it on the Footballer’s Football Podcast, Wilson responded to Ricky Haywood-Williams comment that Barnes had a couple of opportunities to play the ball sooner, saying: “I’m never one to point the finger and say it’s because of that and give me that get out of jail card. I definitely should have scored. But, yes, you’re right that the ball across was a little bit slow and the defender was coming back so I had to take it early, rather than letting it come across my body and putting it into the bottom corner or the top corner on my right side, similar to how my goal was.”
Barnes and Wilson both scored from off the bench on Saturday
It might seem like a harsh criticism for Barnes but I’m sure what was said on the podcast has already been said between the two on the night.
Barnes made up for his mistake, if you can even call it that, by scoring a goal of his own to round off the scoring after being played through by Jacob Murphy.
On a different day or maybe with a different ‘keeper Newcastle could have heaped more humiliation on the Villans, but for an opening day victory that’s about as sweet as it gets so we can forgive Barnes and Wilson for missing that one chance.