‘I can’t’: Darren Bent left in hysterics by what £25m ASTON Villa PLAYER did before Martinelli scored on Saturday
Darren Bent has now said he couldn’t help but laugh at Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey’s reaction to Gabriel Martinelli’s goal on Saturday.
Bent was speaking on the Kelly and Wrighty Show, and reviewing the weekend’s action.
One of the major talking points was of course Saturday’s dramatic early kick off between Arsenal and Aston Villa.
After going three games without a win, Mikel Arteta’s side needed a response to stay in the title race.
Their second-half performance certainly delivered, coming from behind to earn a vital three points.
After Emiliano Martinez’s injury-time own goal gave the Gunners the lead, Gabriel Martinelli put the icing on the cake.
With Martinez up for a last-minute corner, Arsenal expertly counter-attacked, and the Brazilian tapped the ball into the empty net.
Bent has now shared that he was very amused by Leon Bailey’s reaction to Martinelli’s goal.
The Jamaican international was powerless to stop his side conceding with the final kick of the game.
Bent recounts Bailey’s reaction to Martinelli tap-in
On the Kelly and Wrighty Show, Bent recalled what happened in the final moments on Villa Park on Saturday that really tickled him.
“What did make me laugh,” Bent said, “is look who he runs past to get that opportunity because Leon Bailey is running with him and he’s like ‘you know what? Nah. I can’t run with him, let him go’.”
The £25m forward certainly isn’t sluggish, but couldn’t do anything to stop the young Brazilian running through on goal.
Martinelli had much fresher legs than Bailey at that point, and as Bent said, simply couldn’t keep up.
He nearly put the home side in front minutes earlier, but his powerful effort was tipped onto the bar by Aaron Ramsdale.
Martinelli was bizarrely criticised for starting to celebrate before tapping the ball in by Gabby Agbonlahor.
The former Villa player may just have been bitter after seeing his side throw away a point in the most dramatic of circumstances.
The 21-year-old appeared to benefit from starting from the bench on Saturday, with Leandro Trossard stepping in to replace him.
After his cameo at the weekend, it would be no surprise to see him back in the starting line-up against Leicester.
