England striker Marcus Rashford has taken a subtle swipe at Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim after scoring his first goals for Aston Villa in their FA Cup quarter-final victory over Preston.
Rashford, 27, moved to Villa on loan last month after falling out of favor under Amorim at Old Trafford. Since his switch, he has quickly become a key player for Unai Emery’s side, which holds an option to sign him permanently at the end of the season.
The forward delivered an impressive performance on Sunday, netting twice—including a penalty—as Villa secured a commanding 3-0 win to book their place in the FA Cup semi-finals.
Following the match, Rashford hinted that he feels rejuvenated since joining Villa and expressed his delight at rediscovering his form.
“It’s a great feeling. I feel like I’ve been getting fitter and playing better football since I’ve been here,” Rashford told BBC Sport. “As a forward, it’s always nice to get on the scoresheet, so hopefully, it continues.”
He added, “We just have to take it one game at a time, give 100 percent on the pitch, and see where it takes us. We are an ambitious team—we want to win and push as far as we can in all competitions. We also want to fight for a top-four spot.”
“I think I can still get fitter. I missed a lot of football before joining Villa. Right now, my body feels good, I’m injury-free, and I’m enjoying my football, so all good for now.”
Former England international Micah Richards believes Rashford is flourishing at Villa, as he appears better suited to Emery’s system than Amorim’s.
“The difference is that Emery has a structure and a plan,” Richards said. “Under Ten Hag, things were difficult, and Amorim has also struggled to implement his vision.”
Richards further explained that Rashford’s playing style did not align with Amorim’s tactical setup at United. “If you’re going to play a different formation, where does Rashford fit? As one of the front three or as a wing-back? It doesn’t really suit him. But at Villa, everyone knows their role, and he is simply adding his skill, pace, and experience to a well-structured team.”