Marcus Rashford’s loan spell at Aston Villa may have come to a premature end after the Manchester United forward suffered a hamstring injury that forced him to miss Villa’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Crystal Palace.
The 27-year-old England international, who has contributed four goals and six assists since joining Villa in February, sustained the injury during Thursday’s training session. Villa manager Unai Emery confirmed the severity of the situation, stating: “He got injured this week and yesterday we did a test – it is his hamstring. We are going to try to test him each match but he’s injured and probably won’t be available for some weeks.”
With just one month remaining in the season, Rashford faces a race against time to feature again before his loan expires. This setback comes at a critical juncture for Villa, who have endured a difficult period after their Champions League elimination by Paris Saint-Germain and a last-minute defeat to Manchester City in the Premier League.
The injury compounds Villa’s disappointment following their comprehensive 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Palace advanced to their third FA Cup final in history thanks to a brilliant goal from Eberechi Eze and two second-half strikes from Ismaila Sarr.
Rashford’s future remains uncertain, with Villa holding a £40 million option to make the transfer permanent. The forward had previously indicated he was undecided about his next career move, with a return to Manchester United still possible under new management.
Villa now face a crucial run of four remaining Premier League fixtures as they chase Champions League qualification, potentially without their influential loanee. Emery acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying: “We have to accept it and keep going in the Premier League where we are close to qualifying for Europe. We must dominate our frustrations.”
Despite his injury, Rashford was spotted in London watching the boxing match between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, suggesting the hamstring issue doesn’t prevent all movement.
