Over the course of the January transfer window, it became apparent quite quickly that Marcus Rashford was a priority for Aston Villa boss Unai Emery.
Various names were paired with a move to join us to bolster our attacking options, but once the possibility of signing the Man Utd man on loan became an option, discussions moved with pace to get a deal done.
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The hope was clear. Rashford needed a fresh start after being stuck in a malaise at Old Trafford over the past two seasons, while Emery and Villa were arguably the perfect pairing for him given how many players have improved under the Basque coach during what has been a memorable two years of progression for Villa under his stewardship.
It’s one thing hoping for it and another entirely for it to come to fruition on the pitch though, but from what we’ve seen thus far, it looks as though that Emery influence is working like a charm once again.
Simply looking at Rashford operate tells its own story, as the 27-year-old looks full of energy and is enjoying his football, chasing around the pitch to press and apply pressure on the opposition while running at his man with intent and confidence at every opportunity.
The England international has seemingly been given very clear instructions from Emery, and he is thriving and relishing that opportunity to get back to doing what he does best on a consistent basis.
Admittedly, it’s still a small sample size, but assuming that we don’t ultimately exercise our option to buy at the end of the season, the Man Utd loanee doesn’t have a lot of time to make a lasting impression.
In turn, his two assists in a fundamental win over Chelsea to boost our Champions League qualification hopes is exactly what was needed from him, as he continues to make a positive impact whenever he’s on the pitch.
In 45 minutes, he completed 15 of 16 passes, had five touches in the opposition box, created three chances, won possession back three times and provided two assists.
Rashford adds an important and fresh dynamic to our attacking play with the threat that he poses on the left flank, as he stretches the pitch, commits defenders, and loves to take players on and hit the byline.
It complements what others in our dangerous attacking unit offer, and so it looks like an inspired loan signing so far that will hopefully prove to be decisive in our bid to achieve our objectives across the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup this season.
While it’s been a hugely positive start to life at Villa, Rashford’s challenge remains to be more consistent and raise his level even further. That was the message from Emery in his post-match interviews, and who better than the Villa boss to continue to get the best out of a player who is now seemingly back enjoying his football and striving to be the best possible version of himself.
