'He was on fire' - so was Emery wrong to replace Rashford?

He whitethorn not person scored himself, but Marcus Rashford arguably provided nan spark that almost led Aston Villa to 1 of nan awesome Champions League comebacks against Paris St-Germain.

The England guardant had been reasonably quiet successful nan first half arsenic nan French champions looked connected people for a regular win, starring 2-0 aft 27 minutes and 5-1 connected aggregate.

But Rashford starred successful nan 2nd period, tormenting nan PSG defence arsenic Villa fought backmost to lead 3-2 connected nan nighttime and travel wrong 1 extremity of levelling nan tie.

In nan extremity they conscionable couldn't find a 4th goal, but nan 27-year-old, connected indebtedness astatine Villa amid an uncertain Manchester United future, showed precisely what he is tin of against a broadside tipped to spell each nan measurement successful this season's Champions League.

"He is emotion amended and he played a awesome match," Villa leader Unai Emery told Amazon Prime.

"We are very happy. If he is happy, we are happy."

Rashford's January move appears to person revived nan England international's profession but, aft a number of decent displays, this was arguably his champion for Emery's side.

The measurement he group up Villa's 3rd extremity against PSG was a superb show of accomplishment arsenic he nutmegged 1 subordinate to get into nan box, sidestepped different earlier cutting nan shot backmost perfectly for Ezri Konsa to occurrence home.

That assistance was his 5th for nan nine - nary Premier League subordinate has managed much since his Villa debut.

Rashford memorably scored a last-minute punishment for Manchester United against PSG successful 2019 to nonstop them retired of nan Champions League, and he almost came backmost to haunt them erstwhile again arsenic only a stunning Gianluigi Donnarumma extremity denied him uncovering nan apical corner.

"Marcus Rashford didn't score, but nan power levels that he had... he was making those defenders make mistakes," erstwhile Villa and Manchester United striker Dion Dublin said connected BBC Radio 5 Live.

"For me, he was man of nan lucifer for Villa."

Rashford's awesome show was underlined by nan statistics.

He had nan astir touches wrong nan guidance container (12) of immoderate player, created nan astir chances (four) and produced nan astir crosses connected nan transportation (nine).

"Rashford was brilliant," erstwhile Villa full-back Stephen Warnock said connected BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He was progressive successful everything and everything that was good, was coming from him."

Former Liverpool striker and two-time Champions League victor Daniel Sturridge admitted Rashford's capacity was nan benignant that showed critics were incorrect to constitute him off.

"The communicative earlier he came present was that he's not nan aforesaid subordinate immoderate more," Sturridge told Amazon Prime.

"That was nan narrative. He's proven everyone wrong.

"He has travel present and shown everybody this is who I am, and this is really I play. This is what I tin bring to nan table."

Emery has been rightly commended for turning Villa from relegation battlers into Champions League contenders since he was appointed successful October 2022.

But nan Spaniard was questioned for making a incorrect telephone against PSG, pinch his determination to switch Rashford pinch Ollie Watkins successful nan 76th infinitesimal appearing to disrupt Villa's momentum.

"I don't cognize what Unai Emery saw, pinch nan measurement Marcus Rashford was playing, he sewage it wrong," Warnock added.

"It felt for illustration nan tempo dropped erstwhile he made that substitution. You request a extremity - why are you taking a striker off?"

Moments earlier nan substitution was made, Dublin added: "Marcus Rashford is connected occurrence tonight. You don't want to return him off."

Rashford's indebtedness spell comes pinch an action to bargain for £40m.

With conscionable complete a period of nan play remaining, he and Villa person a determination to make complete his future.

However, Emery said thing has been decided yet, and added: "It depends connected nan circumstances for now and nan adjacent weeks."

Watkins besides apt has a large determination to make too.

The England striker, who was nan taxable of a grounded bid from Arsenal successful January, has a decent return successful nan Premier League this play pinch 14 goals.

But nan 29-year-old has often recovered himself having to settee for a spot connected nan chair this word and that was nan lawsuit connected Tuesday, which meant he has started conscionable 1 of Villa's past six games.

Watkins came disconnected nan chair to people against Southampton past weekend, aft which he expressed his vexation astatine not starting much games. With a World Cup adjacent year, he will request regular shot to support himself successful contention for a spot successful nan Three Lions squad.

"For me, I'm not happy to beryllium connected nan bench," he said aft nan Saints game.

"It's disappointing each crippled that I'm connected nan bench, but it's nan manager's determination astatine nan extremity of nan day."