Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford came on as a substitute and provided two assists as Aston Villa came from behind to win 2-1 against Chelsea.
Chelsea took the lead in the first half through Enzo Fernandes, who scored after tapping in a cross from Pedro Neto.
With Villa trailing, manager Unai Emery brought Rashford on at half-time, and the United star quickly made an impact.
Just before the hour mark, Rashford received a pass from Matty Cash and set up Marco Asensio, whose quick thinking saw him poke the ball over the line to equalise.
Villa kept pushing, with Rashford causing problems for Chelsea’s defence. With just a few minutes left, Villa took a short corner, and Rashford picked out an unmarked Asensio. The Spaniard’s shot slipped past Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen to give Villa the lead.
While Asensio grabbed the headlines with his brace, it was Rashford’s creativity and sharpness that sparked Villa’s fightback. He could have had another assist when he set up Donyell Malen, but Jörgensen made the save.
Rashford’s performance stood out as his best since joining Villa in the January transfer window. He made 27 touches, completed 15 of 16 passes, and created two key chances – both for Asensio’s goals. He also completed two dribbles and had two blocked shots.
For Villa, Rashford’s influence was clear, and he’ll be hoping for a starting spot when Villa play Crystal Palace on Tuesday. United, meanwhile, may be wondering if Rashford could have made a difference in their 2-2 draw with Everton earlier today.
