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‘I’m enjoying my football’: Marcus Rashford after opening his account for Aston Villa in FA Cup win

In his first 9 matches in a Villa shirt, he had given a handful of assists but got no goals but in his 10th match, he opened his account with 2 strikes.

Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford scores their side's second goal of the game from a penalty during the English FA Cup quarter final soccer match against Preston North End at Deepdale, Preston, England, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

Aston Villa’s Marcus Rashford who scored a brace against Preston in the FA Cup quarterfinals on Sunday said that he was enjoying football at the club after being sent here on loan by Manchester United. His decision to join Villa on a loan deal until the end of the season is paying off after being frozen out by United, with the striker returning to the England squad and starting the recent World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.

“It’s a great feeling. I feel like I’ve slowly been getting fitter and playing better football since I’ve been here. It’s obviously nice for a forward to get a goal so hopefully it continues,” Rashford said.

“I missed a lot of football before joining up with them,” he said. “At the minute, my body feels good, I’m injury free and I’m enjoying my football,” he added.

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In his first 9 matches in a Villa shirt, he had given a handful of assists but got no goals but in his 10th match, he opened his account with 2 strikes. Rashford tapped home Lucas Digne’s cross for the opener at Deepdale in the 58th minute and then converted a penalty in the 63rd after Morgan Rogers was fouled.

Villa manager Unai Emery is pleased with the progress of Rashford but also feels there is more to come.
“His commitment to work, to adapt quick, is very important and he’s doing it,” said Emery, who played Rashford as a central striker against Preston with Ollie Watkins on the bench.

“To feel comfortable, playing in his best level, there is still work but today he did one step forward — getting confident, scoring goals. He was obviously getting better but this was one more forward in his adaptation and helping us.” Emery said it was “not yet” the right time to discuss whether Rashford might make his move to Villa permanent.

(With agency inputs)