Is Emi Martinez injured? Aston Villa update amid questions of goalkeeper missing Premier League action ahead of 2026 World Cup qualifying duty with Argentina

Martinez and Asensio failed to make the squad as Aston Villa edged out Brentford in a crucial Premier League clash on Saturday courtesy of Ollie Watkins' strike. The win helped the Villans climb up to the seventh position in the table. After the game, Emery explained why the duo were dropped from the team.

Speaking to reporters, the Spanish coach said: "They were yesterday…not feeling good. They had some muscle pain, not really so important because we tested them, but they weren’t available to play today. We decided to avoid risk with both. Hopefully they can recover for Wednesday."

Emery is prioritising their upcoming Champions League round of 16 second leg fixture against Club Brugge next week. Although the English side have a 3-1 lead from the first leg, the tie is far from being over as the Belgian club are capable of turning things around. Martinez will also be in action for Argentina later this month as the reigning world champions face Uruguay and Brazil in 2026 World Cup qualifying matches.

After their European fixture on Wednesday night, the Villans will enjoy a well-earned holiday due to the international break and will be back in action on March 30 as they take on Preston in a FA Cup quarter-final match.