Arne Slot Backs Marcus Rashford to Shine at Aston Villa
In the world of football, where careers can take unexpected turns, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has expressed his confidence in Marcus Rashford’s ability to rejuvenate his career at Aston Villa. Slot, who has been following Rashford’s journey, shared his thoughts on the forward’s potential impact at Villa Park.
Rashford, who joined Villa on loan from Manchester United in January, has had a challenging time at Old Trafford under the management of Ruben Amorim. The 27-year-old forward made his Premier League debut for Unai Emery’s side in a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town over the weekend. As Liverpool prepares to face Aston Villa on Wednesday night, Rashford’s performance will be closely watched.
When asked about Rashford, Slot said, “Of course I knew Marcus Rashford from following the Premier League but the first time I faced him in real life was in the USA [preseason] tour and I was really impressed with how fast he is.”
Slot continued, “He has a nice height and he’s comfortable on the ball. I think he’s a very good player. I hope that, for him, he is going to that Villa but not [on Wednesday]. I will be completely surprised if a player of that quality doesn’t show that in the upcoming months.”
As Liverpool aims to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table, a victory over Villa could see them move 10 points clear. However, second-place Arsenal will have a game in hand, adding pressure to Slot’s side. The upcoming fixtures present a challenging period for Liverpool, with matches against Manchester City and Newcastle United on the horizon.
Reflecting on the significance of this period, Slot remarked, “I see it as 13 games to be played and the next game is the most important one, starting with Villa away which is, like Wolves at home, a difficult game, for us and for everyone.”
He added, “They have a great home record, maybe even more if they play in the evening, so we know that it’s going to be a challenge. But we have quite an OK away record this season. So it’s a game for everyone to look forward to.”
Unfortunately for Liverpool, they will be without forward Cody Gakpo and defender Joe Gomez for the match against Villa. Slot confirmed, “Both will be unavailable for tomorrow. Cody is close to being back and Joe will take quite a long time. He will be out for a number of weeks. It is [a big blow] for him and for us.”
On the other side, Aston Villa’s head coach Unai Emery acknowledged the daunting task his team faces against Liverpool. He stated, “For me as a coach it is a big challenge, a challenge to how we can collectively set our game plan against them. It’s the most difficult match we are going to play for the last weeks and months.”
Emery praised Liverpool, saying, “Liverpool are the best team in the Premier League and Europe. Our challenge is to how we face them and respond with our qualities and how we play at this level.”
Adding to Villa’s challenges, Emery confirmed that midfielder Boubacar Kamara will miss the game on Wednesday due to a hamstring issue sustained in the draw against Ipswich.
- Liverpool aims to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.
- Marcus Rashford is on loan at Aston Villa from Manchester United.
- Both Cody Gakpo and Joe Gomez will be unavailable for Liverpool.
- Boubacar Kamara will miss the game for Aston Villa due to a hamstring issue.
Originally Written by: ESPN
