Marcus Rashford made his long awaited Aston Villa debut against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup following his loan exit from Manchester United. For the first time in his club career, Rashford took to the pitch not wearing Man United’s famous red shirt, he was adorned in claret and blue. Villa manager Unai Emery introduced the England international in the 66th minute replacing fellow new signing Donyell Malen. Rashford immediately headed out to the left wing wearing his new #9 shirt, and looked to get at Pedro Porro immediately. The game was very open from a Villa perspective, and it was arguably perfect conditions for both Rashford and Marco Asensio to make their debuts. Asensio impressed in his first minutes, and the same could be said of his famous new teammate from Manchester. Gary Lineker praises Marcus Rashford after ‘lively’ Aston Villa debut Speaking on ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast, Gary Lineker discussed Rashford’s debut alongside Alan Shearer, a pair who liked what they saw. For a while, a lot of football fans around the country have been desperate for Rashford to start a new challenge, to find an opportunity to get back to his best. And Shearer actually described Rashford’s chance at Villa as his ‘last chance saloon’, even if he did start well. Lineker began: “I thought Rashford looked lively. He had a couple of good runs, a nice little nutmeg was a threat down that left-hand side. “Hopefully, this is the little bolt that he needs and getting back playing well again, because there’s so much talent in there.” Shearer replied: “It has to be, Gaz. Again, I said it’s like last chance saloon. He’s been given another opportunity at a football club with the top manager who wants to get the best out of him. “And it’s up to him now, but he made a good start today when he come on as a substitute. I thought he had a bit about him.” Marco Asensio immediately shows his quality at Villa Park Jacob Ramsey was delighted to welcome Rashford at the club, one of a few strong signings Villa made close to the January deadline. Emery was actually without a recognised centre-back once Ezri Konsa went off with an injury in the first half, explaining why Axel Disasi’s arrival from Chelsea will also be crucial. Boubacar Kamara is doing a commendable job out of position at centre-back, but his skillset is much better utilised in midfield. And in truth, the FA Cup does now present an exciting chance for Villa to win a trophy this season, especially after the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea exited the competition.
