Marcus Rashford’s inaugural goals for Aston Villa propelled them to a 3-0 victory over Preston, securing a spot in the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in a decade on Sunday.
The forward netted twice in the second half at Deepdale, effectively breaking Preston’s determined resistance before Jacob Ramsey sealed Villa’s long-awaited return to the final four.
Villa will go up against Crystal Palace, who triumphed 3-0 against Fulham on Saturday, in the semi-finals at Wembley during the weekend of April 26-27.
Since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United in the January transfer window, Rashford has revitalised his career, beginning to rediscover the form that once made him one of England’s standout talents prior to a two-year decline.
Concerns regarding his attitude and behaviour off the pitch had previously led United manager Ruben Amorim to see Rashford as surplus to requirements, particularly after incidents with former boss Erik ten Hag.
The 27-year-old hadn’t found the net since scoring for United against Everton on December 1.
In a central striker position that often impacted his confidence at United, Rashford displayed an impressive level of dynamism, proving too challenging for the second-tier Preston and suggesting that his career may not conclude in disappointment after all.
“It’s a fantastic feeling; I feel like I’ve been gaining fitness and playing much better football since arriving here. It’s always great for a striker to score, so I hope this keeps going,” Rashford expressed.
“I missed out on a lot of football before joining Villa. It’s a gradual process. My body feels good, and I’m enjoying my football at the moment.”
“We’re very ambitious. We’ll see where this journey takes us.”
While Manchester United continue to grapple with turmoil, Rashford has thrived since moving to a more progressive Villa side.
A Memorable Climax
Unai Emery’s team has experienced a remarkable run to the Champions League quarter-finals, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain in April.
They also hold an outside shot at qualifying for the next season’s Champions League.
Rashford could play a vital role in what could be a memorable conclusion to the season for Villa, who last won the FA Cup in 1957, with their most recent final ending in defeat to Arsenal in 2015.
“His commitment to work and adapt quickly is very crucial, and he’s doing it,” Emery commented.
“To feel comfortable and perform at his best level, there’s still work to be done, but today he took a step forward, gaining confidence and scoring goals.”
“He was certainly improving, and this was another significant step in his adaptation and contribution to the team.”
Emery noted it was “not yet” the right time to discuss the possibility of Rashford making a permanent switch to Villa in the off-season.
Rashford’s free-kick had Preston goalkeeper David Cornell on alert early on, while Ezri Konsa came close with a header from Marco Asensio’s cross that whizzed just past the post.
Stefan Thordarson squandered a golden opportunity to give Preston an unexpected lead when he shot wide.
Villa took the lead in the 58th minute when Rashford perfectly timed his run to connect with Lucas Digne’s low cross, finishing clinically from 12 yards out.
Morgan Rogers was thwarted by Cornell moments later as Villa sought to extend their lead.
It was Rogers who earned Villa’s penalty in the 63rd minute after being fouled by Andrew Hughes.
Rashford confidently converted the penalty, sending Cornell the wrong way.
Ramsey then solidified the result eight minutes later, driving into the Preston area and striking a powerful shot past Cornell for his fourth goal of the season.
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