Aston Villa eased past Preston North End on Sunday to book their place in the FA Cup semi finals
Comments
Sport
Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford
Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford(Image: PA)
Aston Villa booked their place in the FA Cup semi finals next month with a comfortable 3-0 win over Championship side Preston North End at Deepdale on Sunday - and it was an afternoon, even despite the modest opposition, which will be remembered for a long time by Marcus Rashford.
Rashford hadn't scored since December, and not in any of his previous nine appearances for Villa despite his contribution with four assists, but he broke his duck with a smart finish when Lucas Digne laid his first goal on a plate. Rashford plundered a penalty swiftly afterwards.
Article continues below
Rashford, the obvious big talking point on Sunday, could now lead Villa to FA Cup glory for the first time since 1957 if they can overcome Crystal Palace in the semi-finals and see off whoever wins the other semi, contested by Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.
It'd certainly be a subject of embarrassment for Rashford's parent club Manchester United, and manager Ruben Amorim, if he was to inspire another club to silverware after clinching the FA Cup himself with the Red Devils last spring. This is what the national media made of Sunday's success.
The Guardian
Rashford is a reigning Cup winner, lifting the trophy last May to help extend Erik ten Hag’s stay at Manchester United, but that success did little to reignite either’s Old Trafford career.
The 27-year-old has improved at Aston Villa after leaving behind his home town malaise but everyone has been waiting until now for him to deliver goals to remind everyone of his key purpose on a pitch, these his first since 1 December.
Unai Emery has worked hard to rebuild Rashford after the forward failed to impress Ruben Amorim with his attitude in United training. The change of scenery has seemingly helped Rashford, who played twice for Thomas Tuchel’s England in the international break, and he is finally back doing what he can do: making a difference in big matches.
It might have been only a win over a Championship side but there was still plenty of pressure on Rashford, as the central striker, to lead his side to victory.
Read the story here.
BBC Sport
Frozen out of the first-team picture at Manchester United by head coach Ruben Amorim just weeks after he replaced Erik ten Hag at the helm, even those closest to Rashford accepted he had a major point to prove when he completed his loan move to Aston Villa on 3 February.
Those working with him can see the improvement in Rashford, maybe not quite to the levels of old but certainly a far cry from the passive figure he appeared at Old Trafford for most of the previous 18 months.
England boss Thomas Tuchel must have felt so too, judging by the speed with which he restored Rashford to the international fold earlier this month.
Yet there were plenty of doubters. They were out in force on social media during the first half of Villa's 3-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory at Preston, as Rashford wasted a couple of free-kicks as the visitors struggled to turn their dominance into goals.
The only measure, though, of a striker's success is the regularity they hit the back of the net - and he hadn't done it for 14 games and counting since his double for United against Everton on 1 December.
Read the story here.
Mail Online
Just when they thought their season could get no worse, now Manchester United must watch their exiled homegrown hero try to lead Aston Villa into the FA Cup final.
Marcus Rashford was practically shoved out of the Old Trafford door when he was allowed to move on loan to Villa during the winter transfer window.
Since then the 27-year-old has regained his place in the England squad and claimed his first goals since December 1 to sink Preston and send Villa into the last four. This will guarantee Unai Emery's men at least one trip to Wembley this season, when they face Crystal Palace in the semi-finals over the last weekend in April.
Where many believed Rashford's career had reached the end of the line, Emery saw a player capable of producing the moments that could turn tricky matches Villa's way.
For large parts of games, Rashford and fellow loanee Marco Asensio can appear passengers – until they deliver the magic that has made them two of Europe's most effective forwards at different times of their careers.
Rashford has two goals and four assists for Villa, Asensio seven goals, making 13 goal involvements in 19 games between them. That is how to make your mark as loan players.
Read the story here.
READ MORE: Marcus Rashford masterclass as Aston Villa romp home at Deepdale - pictures and match report
The Telegraph
Of the several humiliations Manchester United face this year, one close to the top of the list would be Marcus Rashford snatching the FA Cup from his boyhood club - and holders of the trophy - after they went to such lengths to force him out of Old Trafford.
There is a good chance that embarrassment could happen after Rashford helped book a semi-final place against Crystal Palace with his first goals on loan at Aston Villa, whose late move in the January window for Rashford has paid off swiftly.
Rashford could join the likes of Brian Talbot and, more recently, Olivier Giroud in winning back-to-back FA Cups with different teams. Eight months ago, it was Rashford who took United from defence to attack with one beautiful crossfield pass leading to Kobbie Mainoo’s winner in last season’s final.
United waged a campaign to get Rashford out of the club since, with the move to Villa his redemption. He has earned his first England caps in a year during the international break, and now has a return to Wembley to look forward to with his new club.
Read the story here.
Will Aston Villa win a trophy this year? Tell us HERE