Jadon Sancho has obvious Marcus Rashford blueprint to follow to succeed at Aston Villa
Marcus Rashford was solid while on loan at Aston Villa before shining at Barcelona and Jadon Sancho must take heed.
Sancho arrived at Villa on loan from Manchester United over the summer with the expectation of reviving his career.
After bursting onto the scene at Borussia Dortmund, things started to go downhill for the winger after signing for Man United.
While Sancho has shown some promise at Villa, fans are demanding a lot more than he’s offering.
Marcus Rashford is the example to follow
Rashford signed for Villa on a half-season loan in January and soon became a fan favourite at the club.
The left winger netted four goals and provided six assists while operating mostly from the centre-forward position.
Rashford then departed Villa at the end of the season when his loan deal ended, and signed for Barcelona for the year, where his output has increased tenfold.
- Rashford has netted six goals and has provided nine assists in 16 appearances
- He has created four big chances and has made 1.9 key passes per game in La Liga
- He has 2.80 expected league assists
Furthermore, 50 per cent of his long balls and 35 per cent of his crosses have been accurate, according to Sofascore. This is quite impressive compared to other wingers.
The England international’s performances saw him named in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for The Three Lions’ FIFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.
Thus, Rashford is a clear example of how to best use one’s time when out on loan.
How does Jadon Sancho compare?
Sancho is yet to register a single goal contribution for Villa since arriving over the summer transfer window.
While the right winger’s all-around game has been sufficient, like in Villa’s 2-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv earlier this month, he has struggled to be decisive.
This is a noticeable difference from his time at Chelsea, where he notched 15 goal contributions in 41 appearances last season.
While Sancho isn’t at the top of the pecking order for Unai Emery, he’ll likely spend more time on the bench than on the pitch if these performance levels continue.
The verdict?
Sancho must take a page out of Rashford’s book if he wants to succeed at Villa this season.
While his Man United teammate did not start every game for the Villans or Barcelona now, he still shows promise and is often decisive when substituted on.
Therefore, Sancho will need to start becoming more influential in matches; otherwise, his stay at Villa will be another wasted one.
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