Marcus Rashford has got his swagger back.
The Aston Villa loanee ended his 120-day goal drought with a second-half double at Preston on Sunday to help Unai Emery’s side set up an FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace – and provide another clear sign he is enjoying his football again.
Frozen out of the first-team picture at Manchester United by head coach Ruben Amorim just weeks after he replaced Erik ten Hag at the helm, even those closest to Rashford accepted he had a major point to prove when he completed his loan move to Aston Villa on 3 February.
Those working with him can see the improvement in Rashford, maybe not quite to the levels of old but certainly a far cry from the passive figure he appeared at Old Trafford for most of the previous 18 months.
England boss Thomas Tuchel must have felt so too, judging by the speed with which he restored Rashford to the international fold earlier this month.
Yet there were plenty of doubters. They were out in force on social media during the first half of Villa’s 3-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory at Preston, as Rashford wasted a couple of free-kicks as the visitors struggled to turn their dominance into goals.
The only measure, though, of a striker’s success is the regularity they hit the back of the net – and he hadn’t done it for 14 games and counting since his double for United against Everton on 1 December.
But when Lucas Digne presented the opportunity 13 minutes into the second half at Deepdale, Rashford’s innate ability did the rest as he calmly picked his spot before finding the bottom corner.
Five minutes later, despite a wait for the video assistant referee (VAR) to confirm Villa should be awarded a penalty, and goalkeeper David Cornell offering some ‘advice’ as he walked past to take up his position, Rashford’s nerve held. He took his time, did an extended stuttering run-up, and found the net.
“The swagger is back,” gushed Guy Mowbray in his Match of the Day commentary. “The confidence and the pose.”
“It’s a great feeling,” Rashford told BBC Sport afterwards: “It’s always nice for a forward to get a goal, so hopefully it continues.
“I feel like I’ve been getting fitter and playing better football since I’ve been here. I missed a lot of football before joining up with them. My body feels good and I’m enjoying my football for now.”
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