Unai Emery relishing challenge of getting Marcus Rashford back to his best

By Jonathan Veal, PA

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is looking forward to the “huge challenge” of getting Marcus Rashford back to his best.

The 27-year-old has joined Villa on loan on from Manchester United until the end of season, with the option of a permanent transfer in the summer.

Rashford left his boyhood club after being frozen out under new boss Ruben Amorim, with his performances having stagnated over the last couple of years.

He is in the frame to make his debut against Tottenham in Sunday’s FA Cup fourth round.

“I’m very happy with the window we did, I’m very happy with him,” he said. “The conversation I had with him was a very normal conversation with a player and coach, speaking about football.

“I only want the best football from him. As a person as well into the dressing room like one more player helping us.

“I think his potential is huge potential to exploit. I don’t want to know the reason he is leaving from Manchester but I am very happy keeping him here.

“I am very happy to try to exploit and help him recover his performances, individually and collectively. My challenge with him is huge. His challenge with us is exciting.”

Amorim has publicly questioned Rashford’s performances in training, saying on Thursday that he “couldn’t get Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train the way I see it”.

Emery was not prepared to look too far into the future as to whether Rashford’s long-term future would be at Villa Park.

“Today he trained fantastic, tomorrow again, Sunday match,” he said. “We will enjoy each step and then the future is only building with the present.

“If we try and get the future before building the present it’s impossible, if we do it we’ll crash.”

Villa will be without Ollie Watkins for the visit of Spurs after he injured his groin in last week’s defeat at Wolves.

However, Emery hopes he will be available in the next week.

“For him each day is being important how he is feeling,” the Spaniard added.

“For Sunday, he’s not going to be available because today he didn’t train and tomorrow he won’t train as well because he needs to recover hopefully for the next week he will be available.”

Defenders Tyrone Mings, Pau Torres and Matty Cash also miss out, along with midfielder Ross Barkley.