Unai Emery issues Emiliano Martinez and Leon Bailey updates after Crystal Palace thrashing

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Emiliano Martinez and Leon Bailey missed Aston Villa’s 5-0 defeat at Crystal Palace through injury and illness respectively, Unai Emery has confirmed.

Neither Martinez or Bailey were named in the matchday squad at all at Selhurst Park, not risked as Villa had very little to play for on the Premier League’s final day.

Jean-Philippe Mateta’s hat-trick and a brace of long-range stunners from Eberechi Eze secured a dominant 5-0 victory for the hosts. The rotated visitors lacked motivation and it showed as the Eagles tore Villa’s back four to shreds.

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Both vital to the success of the football club over the course of the campaign, it would’ve been good for Martinez and Bailey to enjoy one last run-out but there was no need. In the end, Palace ran riot, so the absent pair will probably be glad they missed out.

“Leon Bailey was sick yesterday and Emi Martinez was playing with a small injury,” Emery confirmed during the post-match press conference. “We were wishing him to play last Monday against Liverpool. For the match today we decided to stop him so he can recover 100 per cent,” Emery explained.

The good news for Villa is the summer break now commences, so Martinez, Bailey and several other absentees will have plenty of time to rest and recover ahead of next season. That includes Tyrone Mings and Emiliano Buendia, who missed the entire campaign through severe knee injuries.

Boubacar Kamara and Jacob Ramsey, who also missed long stretches, are expected back in pre-season too. Villa might not be in for an ultra-busy transfer window but it might not matter as so many key players returning will feel like new signings themselves.

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