Emery finally bin Aston Villa’s “top young player” by unleashing Rashford v Spurs
Emery finally bin Aston Villa’s “top young player” by unleashing Rashford v Spurs
Aston Villa had a fantastic transfer window which saw Unai Emery sign Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, Donyell Malen, Andres Garcia and Axel Disasi.
Jhon Duran and Jaden Philogene were notable departures, but the Villa supporters certainly appear happy with the business conducted during the winter window.
The arrival of Rashford was arguably the most hyped move, and if he can return to his best form, the Englishman may just be one of the finest signings of the transfer window.
Marcus Rashford could start against Tottenham Hotspur
Villa face Spurs in the FA Cup this weekend, and there isn’t a better time to take on the north Londoners. Despite holding a 1-0 advantage from their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, Ange Postecoglou’s side were beaten 4-0 in the second leg, meaning they failed to reach the final.
Villa lost against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, but Emery will be able to call upon the likes of Rashford and Asensio for the cup clash.
The Englishman has scored seven times for Manchester United this season, but only three of those came under Ruben Amorim as he was soon exiled from the squad.
Despite starting just 12 times in the Premier League, the winger has still created four big chances while averaging one key pass per game.
He will be keen to make a solid first impression at Villa, and given how poor Spurs are defensively, Rashford could enjoy a productive debut should he get the nod.
The question is, who will be dropped from the starting XI if Emery unleashes the 60-cap star?
Emery could drop Jacob Ramsey for Aston Villa
Against Wolves last week, Jacob Ramsey started the game on the left flank, but failed to contribute effectively in the final third throughout the tie.
Indeed, he lasted only 45 minutes as Villa went down 2-0 against the relegation battlers. In that time, he completed eight passes, managed to take just 20 touches and lost possession seven times.
| Jacob Ramsey’s PL stats for Aston Villa since August 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Metric | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
| Goals | 1 | 1 |
| Assists | 1 | 2 |
| Key passes per game | 0.7 | 0.8 |
| Big chances created | 1 | 4 |
| Successful dribbles per game | 0.5 | 1.1 |
It was the perfect chance for Ramsey to stake his claim as a regular in the side, but now with the signings of Asensio and Rashford, he could very well find himself on the bench for the FA Cup match.
Journalist Pete O’Rourke praised Ramsey a couple of years ago when speaking to Football FanCast, saying: “Villa are lucky they’ve got such a top young player on their hands and they won’t want to even consider selling him.”
A lot can change in just two years. This season, the 23-year-old has started just 14 games under Emery in all competitions, scoring twice in the process.
A chance of progress in the FA Cup should be something the manager is taking seriously. With this in mind, dropping Ramsey to the bench in order to unleash Rashford on the left wing must be the thought that is running through his mind.
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