Marcus Rashford repays Emery after ‘Fantastic’ Aston Villa decision v Chelsea
Marcus Rashford repaid Unai Emery’s faith as Aston Villa beat Chelsea in the Premier League.
Villa Park welcomed Enzo Maresca’s team on Saturday (22 February) and got the three points after their comeback.
Chelsea took the lead through Enzo Fernandez in the ninth minute, but Marco Asensio’s second-half brace guided the hosts to a 2-1 victory.
Emery will want to thank Rashford, as his substitution was pivotal in turning the tide and giving the Lions an edge in the final third.
| Premier League table (2024/25) | Points |
| 3. Nottingham Forest | 47 |
| 4. Manchester City | 44 |
| 5. Bournemouth | 43 |
| 6. Chelsea | 43 |
| 7. Aston Villa | 42 |
Aston Villa to thank Rashford after Chelsea win
While Asensio will rightly get the plaudit for scoring two goals, the Manchester United loanee was as important as the Spanish attacker against the Blues.
Rashford came on after the break and immediately was a threat as he ended the game with three chances created, as per FotMob.
The 27-year-old had 94 per cent passing accuracy, a combined xG and xA of 1.00 and completed two dribbles during his 45 minutes on the pitch.
Defensive commitment was also seen from the forward as he won two duels and made three recoveries during the match for Villa.
Jamie Redknapp hails fantastic Rashford after win v Chelsea
Jamie Redknapp was left impressed by Rashford after his hunger and desire on the pitch after coming on as a substitute.
Speaking on Sky Sports Main Event (22 February), the former midfielder said: “That substitution made all the difference, and he was fantastic.
“It’s been the other part of the game: the showing, running desire. He was excellent, and he gave them that impetus to put Chelsea on the back foot.”
Rashford was signed on loan from Man United towards the end of the winter transfer window and has already showcased his talent at the Lions.
The Villans struggled due to a lack of squad depth in the first half of the season, but those concerns seem to be over as the English forward proved to be a game-changer against Chelsea.
Asensio has had a similar impact at Villa Park, and Monchi deserves immense credit for getting the recruitment right in the previous window.
Emery was unable to get consistent performances out of his squad earlier in the campaign, as the schedule seemed to have taken a toll on the players.
With fresh faces now at Villa Park, the Villans look like a renewed outfit ready to take on the biggest teams domestically and in Europe.
The Birmingham club will face Club Brugge in the round of 16 of the Champions League in what has been a favourable draw for them.
The Villa Park faithful will be confident of going into the next round after what has been seen since the new signings have arrived, and Rasford will arguably play a significant role going forward.