Marcus Rashford got off the mark for Aston Villa, netting twice as Unai Emery’s team made the FA Cup semi-finals with a 3-0 win at Preston.
This had been a fiddly fixture for Villa for 58 minutes with Preston defending doggedly and restricting the Premier League side but Rashford changed that by tapping home from Lucas Digne’s cross.
From that moment there was only going to be one winner as Villa put their foot down with Rashford, nonchalantly, scoring from the penalty spot after Morgan Rogers was fouled by Andrew Hughes.
Marcus Rashford gives Villa a second-half lead
Two became three when the Preston defence parted and Jacob Ramsey scampered through to finish past some poor goalkeeping from David Cornell. Ollie Watkins and Ramsey went close to adding more for Villa but their work was already done.
Only five teams (Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs) have lifted the FA Cup more times than the seven times Villa have but they have not done so since 1957, when Eric Houghton was in charge.
They are now just two games away from ending that run, starting with facing Crystal Palace in the semi-finals on the weekend of April 26/27 at Wembley.
It was Rashford who stole the show in the second half at a rocking Deepdale, continuing his recent renaissance after falling out of favour at Manchester United.
The 27-year-old operated as centre-forward for most of a game that Champions League quarter-finalists Villa dominated after the break.
His double ended a run of 14 matches without a goal for club or country. With confidence now flowing, he could be a huge player for Villa as they challenge on multiple fronts during the run-in.
Rashford: I’m enjoying my football
Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio celebrate after Villa take the lead at Deepdale
Marcus Rashford speaking to the BBC:
“It’s a great feeling, I feel like I’ve been getting fitter and playing better football since I’ve been here. It’s always nice for a forward to get a goal so hopefully it continues.
“We have to take it one game at a time and give it 100 per cent on the pitch and see where it takes us. We’re very ambitious.
“Step by step. I think I can still get fitter. I missed a lot of football before joining up with them. My body feels good and I’m enjoying my football for now.”
Rashford gets his big moment – what’s next could be exciting
Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones:
Your first time is always a big moment. And Rashford needed his first goals for Aston Villa to be a big moment, not only for himself and his confidence but just to quieten down the noise that surrounds his every touch in an Aston Villa shirt.
Scoring twice in an FA Cup quarter-final to send your new team to Wembley was just what the doctor ordered in that regard and ended a run of 14 games without a goal for club or country.
Rashford has a manager that now believes in him and believes he can produce game-changing moments. You can see that with the freedom he plays with where he’s so much more direct and positive with the ball than during his final games with Manchester United. His body language also looks more positive and it feels like the confidence is returning to his game and when Rashford is confident, there is a world-class player lurking in there.
Emery could just be unlocking it.
