Unai Emery had high praise for Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio after the duo made their Aston Villa debuts in a thrilling FA Cup fourth-round victory over Tottenham.
Rashford, who arrived on loan from Manchester United a week ago, and Asensio, signed temporarily from Paris Saint-Germain, started on the bench for Sunday’s match.
Their introduction came moments after Morgan Rogers doubled Villa’s lead, and they helped see out a 2-1 win, piling more pressure on Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.
Rashford brought energy and sharpness in his cameo, while Asensio dazzled with his technical brilliance, linking up fluidly with Rogers to unsettle the Tottenham defense. Meanwhile, fellow January recruits Andres Garcia and Doyen Malen started the match, with Emery pleased by their immediate impact.
Competing across multiple competitions, Villa will rely on their new signings to bolster their squad depth. Emery acknowledged their potential contribution, saying, “Garcia and Malen executed our plan well with focus and consistency.
Rashford and Asensio showed their quality, and they will be crucial in the coming months. We are evolving after recent changes, but we still need tactical improvements to compete in the Premier League.”
Despite losing Jhon Duran in the January window, Villa now boasts an impressive attacking lineup, with local talents Jacob Murphy and Rogers also making their mark.
Reflecting on the new arrivals, Rogers emphasized their influence on the squad. “It drives us forward. Learning from experienced players like them is huge,” he said. “The second goal was key—we were playing well but needed to finish the game off.”
Rashford and Asensio will aim to make their full debuts when Villa hosts Ipswich on Saturday.