Marcus Rashford has embarked on a pivotal chapter in his career, with a loan move to Aston Villa offering him the opportunity to rediscover his top form after a challenging year at Manchester United. As Rashford prepares to face Liverpool on Wednesday, Reds boss Arne Slot has shared his belief in the forward’s undeniable talent and his expectation that Rashford will impress at Villa Park—just not against Liverpool.
The England international made headlines in January after securing a loan deal to Aston Villa until the end of the season. The move came after Rashford expressed his desire for a fresh challenge during an interview with sports journalist Henry Winter in December, citing frustration with his limited role at Old Trafford. Now, with a new environment and a clean slate, the stage is set for Rashford to reignite his career.
Arne Slot, speaking to the press on Tuesday ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Villa, was generous in his praise of Rashford’s abilities. Reflecting on the first time he saw Rashford play in person, Slot recalled being struck by the forward’s physical attributes and technical skill.
“The first time I faced him in real life was the USA tour, and I was impressed,” Slot said. “I was really impressed how fast he is, how he has a nice height and is comfortable with the ball, so I think he is a very good player. I hope for him, that he is going to show that at Villa.”
That being said, Slot made it clear that he hopes Rashford’s resurgence doesn’t begin against Liverpool. “Of course, I am not hoping that he will do this tomorrow, but I would be completely surprised if a player of his quality is not going to show it because he is a very good player in my opinion,” he added.
Rashford, who made his Villa debut in the Premier League last weekend, is expected to feature again in what promises to be a high-stakes clash at Villa Park. For Liverpool, the match represents another critical step in their pursuit of the Premier League title, as they currently sit seven points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table following a 2-2 draw in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park and a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Slot, who guided Feyenoord to their first Eredivisie title in six years during the 2022/23 campaign, knows the demands of a title race. He emphasized that experience in such scenarios is valuable, though each campaign brings its own unique challenges.
“It always helps if you have experienced it already, and that is not only for me, that is also for the players,” Slot explained. “But it is difficult to take experiences from that time into this time – different players, different opponents, different league.”
The Dutchman pointed out that as the season reaches its decisive phase, matches inevitably become tighter and more unpredictable. Even top teams, he noted, often find themselves grinding out results rather than cruising to victory.
“It tells you again what I have said so many times – that in the end phase of the season a lot of games are really tight,” he said. “Not only ours. If I look at all the results, even Barcelona yesterday, who I admire a lot and have played really good football this season, in the end they were close to conceding the 1-1.”
Slot’s message was clear: success at this point in the campaign requires resilience, focus, and the ability to fight for every point. “It is the end phase of the season where results like this are quite common, like in our title-winning season with Feyenoord as well. It tells you that you have to fight until the end and these games you need to win to achieve something.”
However, Liverpool’s preparations for their encounter with Aston Villa have been dampened by fresh injury concerns. Slot confirmed that both Cody Gakpo and Joe Gomez will be unavailable for Wednesday’s match, with Gomez facing a potentially lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury.
“Both are unavailable for tomorrow,” Slot revealed. “Cody is the closest to coming back but Joe will take quite some time. He is going to be out for a number of weeks because of a hamstring injury.”
The loss of Gomez is a significant setback for Liverpool, particularly as they head into the business end of the season. Slot expressed sympathy for the defender, who had just returned to action only to suffer another injury almost immediately.
“It’s a big blow for Joe and for us. He tries to do everything to be with the team. He works really hard to come back and then the first game when he came back, after two or three minutes we saw him making a sprint and now he is out for weeks again. So that’s always very hard for a player in every part of the season, let alone a part of the season everyone is looking forward to.”
As Liverpool aim to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League table, Slot’s side must navigate these injury setbacks while keeping their eyes firmly on the prize. Meanwhile, all eyes will be on Marcus Rashford as he seeks to prove himself at Aston Villa, with his talent and hunger for redemption making him a dangerous wild card in the final stretch of the season.
For Rashford, this loan spell is more than just an opportunity to play regular football—it’s a chance to remind everyone, including Manchester United, of his immense potential. And for Aston Villa, having a motivated Rashford could be the difference-maker as they push for a European spot.
Whether or not Rashford’s resurgence begins on Wednesday against Liverpool remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Arne Slot, for all his admiration of the player, will be hoping Rashford saves his best for another day.
