SMITH: EMI SPOT ON

ASTON VILLA manager Dean Smith hailed new £ 20million debutant goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez after his brilliant penalty save.

Villa saw off 10- man Sheffield United after the visitors had skipper John Egan sent off early on.

But the Blades could have taken the lead when they were awarded a 36th- minute penalty.

Yet Argentine shot- stopper Martinez, signed from Arsenal last week, threw himself to his right to brilliantly to turn John Lundstram’s penalty away. It paved the way for Villa’s triumph and boss Smith purred: “He made a really good save for the penalty. He’ll certainly be a really good signing.

“He knows how to play for a big club and we are a big club. He did what he had to do. He was also calm on the ball. Emi is very capable with his feet.”

Martinez said: “Saving a pen and keeping the clean sheet is the best game I could play. Penalties are luck and I follow my instincts. It feels great, it was like scoring a hat- trick for me.”

The reverse was Sheffield United’s fifth in a row in the Premier League stretching back to last season.