How Marcus Rashford made perfect Aston Villa start as Unai Emery reveals plan for Man United loanee
From requesting to train on his first two days off to recording the fourth-lowest body fat percentage score in the Aston Villa squad, Marcus Rashford has made a positive impression in his first week at Bodymoor Heath.
The 27-year-old, who signed on loan from Manchester United last weekend, could make his Villa debut against Tottenham in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday (5:35pm). He was frozen out of the United squad by Ruben Amorim as the Portuguese boss claimed his performance in training was substandard.
Villa boss Unai Emery admits he has a “huge challenge” to get the best out of the forward, but is relishing the chance to do just that having pushed for his signature following the £65m sale of Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr.
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“I want the players thinking 70 per cent football, 70 per cent in life every day,” Emery said when asked about the demands he has set his whole squad. “Then there are family, days off but football [mainly]. This is the message inside always with the players and they are responding more or less in this direction.
“The last days we had some meetings, talking about how we want to build the team again, creating here a structure, a mental structure, to meet our demands as well and commitment. Of course, we are again building some ways and new ways with new players. But the structure we have with the players here before is getting easier to take with our players.”
Rashford was one of five players signed in the winter window after Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia joined for a combined £26m. Marco Asensio signed on deadline day, before Axel Disasi completed his move after a deal sheet was submitted.
Disasi is cup-tied after playing in the third round with Chelsea, but Asensio could also make his debut on Sunday alongside Rashford.
“They are training very well,” Emery said. “We started training together on Tuesday and we are going to play the first match on Sunday. I want to wait until tomorrow how they are after the training session and I will decide after that.
“I don’t know if they are going to be fit to play 90 minutes but of course my idea is to try and accelerate the process to help us on the field, firstly in the training how they can get fit better and then playing matches like on Sunday. I am not with the decision if they are going to play in the starting XI.
“The process we had before with the players joining us is to try and support them, helping progressively to feel confident and comfortable in our structure because we are very demanding, tactically, how we want to play. Defensively and offensively they must know their tasks and how they have to respond in certain situations.
“Of course, the players have to adapt to those tactical issues but we are doing it, working this week trying to adapt with the players we have and on Sunday for sure we are going to miss some work we still need to do. But their capacity to play with their individual skills will be there to help us.
“They are versatile players. Malen can play right-side, left-side and even as a striker. Rashford more or less replaced Jhon Duran but while Duran is a striker, Rashford is a winger or second striker.
“Marco Asensio replaced Buendia as a 10 number. But with the versatility they have, I have to be intelligent and work tactically, understanding their task and how we can feel comfortable in their best position helping us.”
Rashford brings versatility to Villa’s forward line, but Emery made it clear he is planning on utilising his strengths from the left side of attack.
Asked where he is planning on playing Rashford, the Villa boss said: “Like he was playing before in Manchester and with the national team. Preferably, his best position is on the left side, running from there. As well he can play as a second striker from the left side and sometimes he's played from the right side. But preferably, we are preferring with him to play on the left side, of course, thinking attacking third.
“We have very good players in transition. We are adding three players substituting Jhon Duran, Buendia and Philogene with Malen, Asensio and Rashford. Of course, it is not only a talent as well, we have to play being organised, disciplined tactically, in transition. offensively and definitely and get their talent. The idea is to help them as well to recover their best qualities."
