Unai Emery refused to criticise Emi Martinez after his error allowed Nottingham Forest to double their advantage against Aston Villa in a 2-0 win at the City Ground.
There was nothing the Argentina number one could do to prevent Ola Aina's opener as the right-back drilled the ball into the corner of the Villa net from outside the box inside the opening five minutes of the match. Forest started the second half as they did the first, this time Orel Mangala scoring just minutes after the restart.
Martinez tried to beat the ball away from goal rather than parrying it wide, which in hindsight was the wrong decision as Mangala's effort bounced over the keeper and the line. After full-time, Emery was asked about Martinez's performance, but was not willing to criticise him.
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"We are all human and can make a mistake," Emery said. "It is not just the goalkeeper. I am never punishing the mistake of the players because I want to try to get confidence in everyone.
"When we are facing other teams we have to try and get better than them. Never punishing the mistakes. It is not just Emiliano, it is everyone."
Speaking about Villa's defeat, Emery said: "I know to play at home for us is amazing and it’s been brilliant. To play away, the opponent feels the same and try to connect with their supporters.
"When we conceded the first goal, they were increasing the emotional moment trying to take the energy and keep the result. That’s the most important for us, to try to increase our level away. How? Reduce our mistakes and be strong defensively and try to impose our qualities and skills.
"Today we made mistakes but for 80 minutes had the control of the game with good positioning and good progress on the pitch. In the end we created chances."
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