Marcus Rashford finally enjoys his football again after scoring his first Aston Villa objectives to help them in the semi-final of the FA Cup on Sunday.
Rashford scored twice in the room of five second half minutes when Villa Championship Side Preston North End defeated 3-0 in Deepdale, with Jacob Ramsey also on goal.
The England attacker had gone nine games without a goal since he was on loan from Manchester United, but he had four assists in his name before taking his cup brace.
Since his villa debut, only Mohamed Salah (10), Bruno Fernandes (10) and Marco Asensio (seven) have been involved in more goals than Rashford (six -two goals, four assists) among all Premier League players in all competitions.
Villa will be confronted with Crystal Palace at the end of April with Crystal Palace, with Manchester City of Nottingham Forest the victors in the May final.
“It's a great feeling,” Rashford told BBC Sport after the victory. “It is always nice for an attacker to get a goal, so hopefully it will continue.
“I feel that I am fitter and played better football since I am here. I missed a lot of football before I join them. My body feels good and I now enjoy my football.
“We have to make the one game at the same time and give it 100% on the field and see where it brings us. We are very ambitious.”
1999-De 3-0 victory of Aston Villa op Villon is their biggest winning margin in a FA Cup match since January 1999, when they beat Hull City 3-0. Villa has reached their first FA Cup-Halve final since 2015. Cruise. pic.twitter.com/yk4w0ys1ao
– Optajoe (@Optajoe) March 30, 2025
Villa has the option to make Rashford's Put permanent for a reported £ 40 million at the end of the season, but Boss Unai Emery would not be attracted whether the attacker will remain.
He suggested that Villa might have to be eligible for Europe to have a chance to keep it while they fight for a place in Champions League.
“We can't waste time on that,” Emery said when he was asked about the future of Rashford.
“If we are in the Champions League next year, in the Europe or Conference League or not, or we don't win a trophy, it's completely different.”
Asked about the adjustment of Rashford, the Spaniard added: “There is still work to do, but today he has taken a step forward. He feels comfortable, gets confident and scored goals.
“He clearly got better, but today it was more in his adjustment and helped us. He plays in the idea, in the plan we did with him.
“He played more as a winger on the left, but he played as a striker in some times. Today we decided to play him as a striker for his quality, his strength and the way he exploits things.
“The process we have with him does not change. There is still work to be done because he came here after he did not train consistently. Playing more and being with the national team will help him feel better and today confirmation.”
Villa returns to the Premier League promotion against Brighton on Wednesday and then will be opposite the forest next Saturday prior to the first stage of their Champions League quarterfinals against Paris Saint-Germain.
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