Emiliano Martinez pulled off a save for the ages at Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening, but it proved to little avail as Aston Villa went down to a 2-1 defeat at the City Ground.
In the 58th minute, a close-range header from Nicolas Dominguez looked set to open the scoring.
But Martinez somehow stuck out a left hand to stop the ball just before it crossed the line and Villa cleared the danger.
Martinez's save in pictures
That save seemed to be crucial as fewer than three minutes later, Villa went ahead through Jhon Duran’s header. But Martinez could not repeat his heroics as a header from Nikola Milenkovic beat him to level in the 87th minute before Anthony Elanga struck a stoppage-time winner.
While the late Forest goals reduced the importance of the save, its quality was not diminished.
"I was upset in that moment!" said Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, himself a former Portugal international goalkeeper, "But big save, big save. It was remarkable.
"That is not about anything, it is pure instinct. Reflex. It's amazing. I wish I had [the] quality to do that once, but I didn't!"
Former Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie watched the incredible save in disbelief. “The save is world-class,” he said on Sky Sports. “I just think the pace of the ball and everything. Phenomenal.”
Jamie Redknapp was equally effusive with praise, comparing it to a legendary save made by England goalkeeper Gordon Banks from Brazil’s Pele in the FIFA 1970 World Cup.
“I can't think of a better save and there are a few reasons why,” the former midfielder said on Sky Sports. “He has already got himself in a position where he is trying to get space for himself and then somehow he reacts.
“I can't think of a better Premier League save in my life. We talk about the Pele one from Gordon Banks.
"Somehow he saved it. It's almost like a magician, sleight of hand. That is truly sensational.”
Another former Villa midfielder, Marc Albrighton, joined the praise for Martinez's effort. "I thought that was in, but what a superb save," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Martinez has got down so low and so quick and somehow kept it out.
"He is not even facing the right way and manages to claw it away. I honestly can't believe it. It is centimetres from going in, that is incredible. That is one of the best I've seen."
