2 days Ago By Oli Gamp
Marcus Rashford's resurgence at Aston Villa under the guidance of Unai Emery, as opposed to his time with Ruben Amorim , is down to "clear instructions" regarding his role on the pitch, according to ex-England team-mate Joe Hart. Rashford's relationship with Amorim soured after being accused of subpar efforts in training sessions, leading to a loan move to Villa in January. Since joining Villa, Rashford has rekindled his form, and was the standout performer in their emphatic 3-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory against Preston, where he bagged a brace to secure their spot in the semi-finals at Wembley.
The 27-year- old forward has tallied two goals and four assists since joining Villa Park, and Hart, who shared the England dressing room with Rashford, believes he's thriving due to the coaching directives from Emery. The retired goalkeeper, whose career spanned stints at Manchester City , Tottenham , and Celtic, emphasised that Emery's specific guidance has removed any ambiguity about Rashford's role within the team. Speaking to BBC Sport, Hart remarked: "You are constantly being asked questions at the top and maybe Rashford found himself in a lull but he has come here with people around him that know what they are doing.
"He hasn't come here with question marks about how he is going to behave and what he is going to do and how he can change the team. "When he was at Manchester United towards the end of his career there, it was constantly where and how is he going to play. Nobody questions Unai Emery.
He isn't questioned in the media because he has established himself and where he is asked to play he will play with quality and with clear instruction." Aston Villa hold the option to secure Rashford for £40million this summer. Still, there's doubt whether the club can afford his hefty £325,000-a-week salary, amid rumours he might make a return to Old Trafford.
Yet, Rashford's future at United seems beyond salvage after Amorim's public critique of his dedication. In a damning comment at the end of January, he suggested he'd prefer to have his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach as a substitute rather than Rashford. Following his striking performance against Preston, Rashford said: "It's a great feeling, I feel like I've 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. "I think I can still get fitter. I missed a lot of football before joining up with them.
At the minute my body feels good, I'm injury-free and I'm enjoying my football, so all good for now." This article originally appeared on the Mirror ..
