It wasn?t the greatest of international breaks for Rashford. Cut a break by Thomas Tuchel, who quite rightly appreciates his quality ? and, you?d have to imagine, his effectiveness of the bench ? he was unable to make the most of a recall he didn?t really earn. But that was in a new team not yet settled into what the coach wants, whereas at Villa, he?ll know exactly what?s expected of him, and I?d not be at all surprised were he definitive this afternoon.
I?m assuming that Villa will be playing Rashford from the left, with Asensio through the middle. Really, the former ought by now to have matured into an effective centre-forward, but his hold-up play is no better now than when he broke through as a giggling ****ager. Perhaps Emery has the smarts to coach him into the player he should be, but in the meantime, he?s far more effective coming off the flank.
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