Marcus Rashford has made a positive impression since leaving Manchester United for Aston Villa
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Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford applauds the fans after the Premier League match at the Gtech Community Stadium, London.
Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford applauds the fans after the Premier League match at the Gtech Community Stadium, London.
(Image: PA)
Marcus Rashford has done no better than ‘alright’ after swapping Manchester United for Aston Villa.
That’s according to former Red Devils defender Gary Pallister who has questioned whether Rashford’s renaissance at Villa means he has a future at Old Trafford.
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Indeed the ex-centre back was conservative in his praise of the 27-year-old whose on-field demeanour certainly seems better, even if Pallister thinks he hasn’t rediscovered his best form.
Rashford has started one game in each of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in eight appearances, he is yet to score but has provided three assists.
However, Pallister recalls the devastating form the attacker showed in earning his contract extension in 2023.
"A fully fit and firing Marcus Rashford gets into most teams in the Premier League. They were right to give him a new contract," Pallister told Express Sport with Spaceport Sweden.
"We can argue about the size of the contract and the money that was paid, in hindsight. But at that time, how many goals did he score that year?
"His form was blistering, he was a regular in the England squad, and he was one of the finest strikers in the Premier League, I would suggest. So nobody foresaw the dip in his form after that.
"There is always a theory, and I've heard managers talk about it, that once you give a player a big contract, they kind of get into a comfortable space, and they maybe lose a bit of hunger.
"I've had chats with countless managers who are concerned about that, about the money that's around in the game, and how you're very comfortable once you're signing one of these big contracts.
"Whether he can come back to Manchester United or not remains to be seen.
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"Whether he's got the desire to come back to Manchester United, whether things would have to change at Manchester United for him to come back and be happy, or whether it's more deep-rooted than that, who knows?
"We're all second-guessing. He's gone to Aston Villa and he's done alright. He's still not managed to secure a regular berth in the first team; he's mostly coming off the bench, but when he is, he's making an impact.
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"So I think every Manchester United fan would like to think Marcus can come back and be Marcus Rashford of old. But whether that's an actual possibility remains to be seen."
Do you want Rashford at Villa next season? Have your say here