Marcus Rashford nowhere to be seen as Aston Villa confirm XI v Crystal Palace
Marcus Rashford is missing from the Aston Villa squad to take on Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final.
Aston Villa are set for one of their biggest games in recent years on Saturday (26 April) as they take on Oliver Glasner’s side at Wembley for a place in the FA Cup final.
It has been a season of progression both on and off the pitch for Villa, with NSWE set for a major financial boost, and Unai Emery’s side can top it off by reaching the FA Cup final, where they would have the opportunity to win Villa’s first major honour since 1996.
However, Emery has been dealt a big blow with Rashford nowhere to be seen against the Eagles, which could prove costly in London.
Rashford missing for Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
Ahead of the showdown with Palace, supporters would have most likely been wondering who would get the nod out of Rashford and Ollie Watkins.
Despite his importance for Villa, Watkins has been forced to settle for a place on the bench in recent weeks, with Alan Shearer weighing in on the situation.
Emery has preferred Rashford through the middle, and Watkins has publicly expressed his frustration at being left out of the Villa team for some big games, such as the two legs against Paris Saint-Germain, with the striker expected to hold exit talks with Emery.
However, it seems as though the choice was made for Emery on Saturday, with Watkins starting through the middle, while Rashford is nowhere to be seen.
| Aston Villa 2024/25 | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Marcus Rashford | 17 | 4 | 6 |
Rashford started and scored in the 2-1 Premier League defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday (22 April). As per Sofascore, the forward completed 86 per cent of his passes, missed two big chances and hit the woodwork in Manchester.
However, the 27-year-old won’t be available to help Villa reach the FA Cup final.
Emery has a chance to make history at Aston Villa
Emery is just two games away from becoming the first manager since 1957 to win an FA Cup with Aston Villa. Therefore, the Spaniard would no doubt have felt a lot of pressure when picking his team for the semi-final.
However, it seems as though he didn’t have a decision to make after all, and supporters will hope Rashford’s injury is nothing serious.