Aston Villa's Manchester United loanee is doing everything right for the club - but he isn't the only one
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Marcus Rashford of Aston Villa celebrates scoring
Marcus Rashford of Aston Villa celebrates scoring
Aston Villa celebrated back-to-back away league victories for the first time since August, following a 3-0 triumph over Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
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The win marks Villa's sixth on the trot in all competitions, the longest winning run under boss Unai Emery.
Villa kicked off with a bang, with Ezri Konsa, John McGinn, and Marcus Rashford all having a crack at goal within the first 20 minutes.
Jacob Ramsey was denied a penalty in the 37th minute despite being tripped in the box by Jack Hinshelwood, who was already on a booking.
Referee Stuart Attwell dismissed Villa's protests, and even after a VAR review, the decision stood.
Emi Martínez pulled off a stunning save at the end of the first half, nudging Yasin Ayari's free-kick onto the post.
Marcus Rashford bagged his first league goal for Villa in the 51st minute, getting on the end of Morgan Rogers' long ball and slotting it past Bart Verbruggen.
Brighton thought they had levelled the score moments later when Simon Adingra netted from close range, but VAR disallowed the goal after Kaoru Mitoma was deemed to have handled the ball in the build-up.
Substitute Marco Asensio sealed the victory as he doubled the lead in the 78th minute, converting Rogers' cross from the right.
Donyell Malen rounded off the scoring for Villa late on, blasting past Verbruggen at an angle to notch up his first for the club.
We take a look at how the national media reported the game...
Sky Sports
"In the race for Europe, it was Aston Villa who had the clinical edge over Brighton at the Amex Stadium, with three second-half goals enough to secure the points. And the goalscorers will especially leave Unai Emery a happy man.
"With the Villains fighting on multiple fronts, they invested heavily in firepower during the January transfer window. Donyell Malen, Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio all arrived on loan and they were all key to victory on Wednesday night."
Premier League website
"Rashford has looked like a player rejuvenated during his loan spell at Villa and he scored his first goals for the club in their 3-0 win at Preston North End in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday.
"And his first strike in the Premier League for Villa was right out of his textbook.
"It actually came from a Brighton corner, with Emiliano Martinez swiftly finding Rogers, whose ball was pretty central and allowed Verbruggen little time to set as Rashford's pace caused chaos.
"Emery was a mightily relieved man shortly after when Martinez made a complete hash of collecting the ball from Mitoma's knockdown, parrying it straight into the path of Adingra. The relief was also palpable for the goalkeeper when Mitoma was deemed to have handled the ball.
"While Emery would not have enjoyed that moment of indecision, he will have very much enjoyed Rashford's contribution to the cause. On another night, the forward would have scored more goals; his touch for his early opportunity was exquisite, the follow-up finish less so.
"But if Emery can keep Rashford in this sort of lively form then he has an absolutely superb asset in the quest to ensure Champions League football via their Premier League placing – while they can, of course, still achieve that by winning Europe's elite competition this season."
Aston Villa's Marco Asensio celebrates scoring
Aston Villa's Marco Asensio celebrates scoring
The Sun
Marcus Rashford has got a pep in his step once again as he hit his first Premier League goal for Aston Villa.
The English striker now has seven goal contributions in just six starts since joining Aston Villa on loan in January after a bitter exit from Manchester United.
The 27-year-old is now loving life under Villa boss Unai Emery who he has the trust of - something lost under former Old Trafford bosses Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim.The fans love him too, and the away end was bouncing throughout, rubbing salt into Brighton’s wounds with chants of ‘Que Sera, Sera’ after Villa booked their spot at Wembley.
Yahoo Sports
It took Villa’s fans less than five minutes to remind their hosts that they are heading to Wembley this month to face Palace with a chorus of “Que Sera”. With the first leg of their Champions League quarter‑final against PSG to look forward to as well next week, Emery was delighted that Ollie Watkins was able to return from injury as a second-half substitute alongside Asensio and Malen.
"It was Villa’s bench that made the difference, although the option to make Rashford’s move permanent from Manchester United in the summer for £40m is looking more and more attractive by the day."
Sky Sports
"Marcus Rashford scored his first Premier League goal for Aston Villa in their 3-0 victory over Brighton to boost their European hopes amid controversial VAR decisions.
"Rashford, who netted twice in Villa's 3-0 win at Preston in the FA Cup at the weekend, put the visitors ahead early in the second half before substitutes Marco Asensio and Donyell Malen wrapped up a sixth consecutive victory in all competitions.
"Brighton had Simon Adingra's equaliser ruled out after the VAR deemed Kaoru Mitoma had deliberately handled the ball in the build-up and sent referee Stuart Attwell to the pitchside monitor to chalk it off."
talkSPORT
On the VAR controversy
Unfortunately for the Villans, VAR deemed Atwell had made the right decision as the Premier League Match Centre on X revealed why it was not overturned.
"The referee's call of no penalty to Aston Villa following a challenge by Hinshelwood on Ramsey was checked and confirmed by VAR - with the contact deemed not to reach the threshold for a foul," the statement read.
Durham, and no doubt all Villa fans, was left especially perplexed about where the threshold for a foul began.
“Exactly what is that threshold, who has said exactly what that threshold is because all day, every day that is a foul and a penalty," Durham said.
“I don’t know what they’re looking at and I don’t know who has made up that threshold.”
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