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Marcus Rashford Aston Villa – Unai Emery acknowledges the challenge ahead as he aims to restore the forward to his best form after joining from Manchester United.
Rashford’s Challenge at Villa
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has admitted that helping Marcus Rashford rediscover his peak performance will be a major challenge, but he is confident in the forward’s potential.
Rashford arrived at Villa on loan from Manchester United until the end of the season, with an option to make the move permanent for £40 million. The 27-year-old has not played since December, following criticism from United boss Ruben Amorim, who suggested Rashford struggled to adapt to his tactical philosophy.
Despite this, Emery remains optimistic. “It’s a big challenge for him and for us,” he said. “I’m not concerned about why he left Manchester United. My priority is to help him regain his form, both individually and as part of the team.”
Having scored seven goals in 24 matches for United this season, Rashford has trained well with his new teammates and could be available for Villa’s FA Cup fourth-round match against Tottenham on Sunday.
Champions League Squad Dilemma
Aston Villa was active in the transfer market, securing signings like Marco Asensio, Axel Disasi, Donyell Malen, Andres Garcia, and Marcus Rashford. However, due to UEFA squad registration rules, only three new players could be registered for the Champions League knockout stages. As a result, Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia were left out.
Explaining the tough decision, Emery said:
“We signed more players than we initially planned, and with the squad limitations, we could only register three. Additionally, we lost a homegrown player, Jaden Philogene, after his move to Ipswich, which further restricted our options. After careful consideration, we decided to exclude Andres Garcia and Donyell Malen.”
Squad Fitness Concerns
Aston Villa will be without Ollie Watkins for the upcoming clash with Tottenham, as he continues to recover from a groin injury sustained during their 2-0 loss to Wolves. Additionally, Chelsea loanee Axel Disasi is ineligible due to cup-tied restrictions.
“For Ollie, we are evaluating his recovery daily,” said Emery. “But for this match, he won’t be available as he hasn’t been able to train.”
With Aston Villa competing in multiple tournaments, Unai Emery must find a way to integrate his new signings effectively while keeping the squad competitive in both domestic and European competitions.
