Emiliano Martinez highlights reasons for Aston Villa’s struggles and makes Jack Grealish admission

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has said that Jack Grealish was ‘the best’ player in the team last season, and admitted the side has struggled with ‘inconsistency’ this campaign.

Villa have had a difficult season, with Steven Gerrard’s side currently in 15th place in the Premier League and eight points above the relegation zone with six games left to play.

Speaking to Goal, the Villa goalkeeper opened up on the difficulties Villa have faced this year and reasons behind them.

He said: “You can see now at the end of the season the inconsistency as well because we have a new manager, a new philosophy. Next season, we will know what to do.

“It has been difficult inside (the club) but we have been very positive and we have double figures in clean sheets now.

“Obviously there has been investment at the club and everyone expected us to be top eight or top seven but it is difficult when there are so many changes in one season.”

Grealish became the most expensive British footballer of all time following his £100 million pound move to Premier League champions Manchester City after the European Championships with England.

The Birmingham-born playmaker has had a difficult few weeks in Manchester, having been omitted from the starting line-up in a number of vitally important games for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Speaking about Grealish’s departure and the impact it has had, Martinez, said: “We have been inconsistent but we have to realise we sold Jack, a home-grown player and the best we had at Villa.

“We have had to rebuild and find new players but they need time to adapt. We changed the manager in mid-season too, with a new philosophy. It isn’t as easy as it looks.”

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