DON'T LOOK BACK AT CLANGER

Martinez pays price for costly fumble

- NEIL MOXLEY

FOOTBALL has a funny way of bringing you down to earth.

Just ask Emi Martinez. What a week it has been for him.

Picking up the Lev Yashin award at the Ballon d'Or ceremony must have seemed like a crowing glory.

Validation that he was top of the goalkeeping tree. It took just over three-quarters of an hour for him to fall off it at Nottingham Forest.

By that time, Unai Emery's men were deservedly trailing to Ola Aina's fifth-minute goal.

But then, moments after the restart, Orel Mangala took aim from 25 yards - the midfielder struck the ball cleanly enough but it should have been a routine stop for the big Argentine, diving to his right.

It was not a save that should have been made with his left hand. However, it was. The ball ballooned upwards and bounced over the goalline.