Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer are backing Marcus Rashford to make a fresh start at Aston Villa and silence his detractors. Rashford sealed his switch to Villa Park on Sunday night, securing a loan move for the rest of the season with an option for a £40m permanent transfer come summer. The striker's situation at United had become increasingly strained in recent times, with United boss Ruben Amorim repeatedly addressing Rashford's absence from the United lineup.

In a stinging critique, the Portuguese head coach even remarked he'd prefer to field his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach, Jorge Vital, over Rashford or any player failing to give their "maximum" during training sessions. A September report from The i quoted a source close to Rashford alleging that the player felt 'bullied' by pundits criticising his subpar performances. Ex-England forwards Shearer and Lineker, chatting on the Rest is Football podcast, hinted that Rashford's troubles at United might be linked to attitude issues, noting that other United managers, and not just Amorim, have encountered problems with him. Nonetheless, they concurred that under Unai Emery's guidance, Rashford has a golden opportunity to turn things around.

"It's probably a good move, hopefully for all at the moment. It's an ongoing thing with the press conferences with Amorim constantly being asked about Rashford. It was getting really difficult," Lineker said. Shearer then weighed in on the debate, suggesting a turning point for Rashford, saying: "Yeah, I think it's a real pivotal point now for Rashford, because he's not the only manager that's gone into Man United and thrown questions at Marcus Rashford. So I think it's best he gets out. And it's now up to him.

"And he's got the opportunity to get back to where he wants to be, to where he was years ago, and stop all the talk about whether he's got the right attitude, whether he wants it enough, whether he wants to play enough football. He's got the opportunity at a huge football club to go and do that now. "So he's been given another opportunity. He's had people criticise him he thinks unfairly but I don't think everyone can be wrong in terms of the managers that have had a pop. So he's now got the chance to get his career back on track.".

Rashford has had his share of issues at United. In March 2024, it seemed the striker's relationship with former boss Erik ten Hag was irreparably damaged after the striker missed training due to a late night out in Belfast, reports the Manchester Evening News. Following his departure from the Red Devils, Rashford had spoken of being ready for a "new challenge", leading to his absence under Amorim. Having put pen to paper with Villa, the England forward appeared eager to embark on his new chapter during an interview with Villa TV.

"I am definitely excited," he said. "It is an ambitious time for this club and a great opportunity for me to join the team and help them keep pushing forward.". Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.