Unai Emery repeats a key message to his Aston Villa squad that could help Marcus Rashford rediscover his best form. Villa finalised a loan deal for the Manchester United forward on Sunday, which includes a £40million option to buy. Having previously been vocal about his desire to leave United, Rashford described his move to Villa as an easy decision. “I just want to play football and am excited to get started," he wrote on social media.

He last featured for Ruben Amorim’s side in mid-December but will have the opportunity to help Villa as they battle for a top-four finish and prepare for the Champions League round of 16. The onus is now on Emery to unlock the version of Rashford that scored 30 goals for United two seasons ago. Despite thriving at various points in his United career, Rashford has recently appeared weighed down by the pressure and expectation surrounding his boyhood club. And that's led to accusations he's taking the position of playing Premier League football for granted.

However, Villa’s star striker Ollie Watkins has previoulsy revealed the point that Emery has hammered into his squad to ensure they play with a smile on their face. “The thing I really like about the boss is that he drills into us that we’re very privileged men to be doing what we’re doing and every day be humble,” Watkins told the High Performance podcast. “He always respects the opposition. He says before the game, maybe 20 times, to respect the opposition because they’re good players, no matter where they are in the league. If it’s top of the league or bottom of the league, to always respect them, and we’re privileged people to be doing what we’re doing so enjoy it and make the most of it.”.

Watkins knows better than most how Emery can transform a player’s career. The England international had struggled during Steven Gerrard's time in charge at Villa Park, coupled with competition from Danny Ings, but he quickly reached new heights under the Spanish coach. During Emery’s reign, Watkins has scored 52 goals and provided 26 assists in 112 games. “Having that faith put into me was nice and I felt like a new belief came out in me and confidence that he knew I was going to perform,” Watkins explained. “I kind of had a little bit of pressure off me, actually. It kind of took a little bit of pressure of me because he was so confident I was going to do well.”.

The Villa striker admits that the boss has high expectations of his players in training and video meetings, but this could help Rashford get back to his best. The 27-year-old scored seven goals in 24 games for United this term and is not the only new signing hoping to benefit from Emery’s wisdom, as fellow January arrival Donyell Malen explained. "What he has done to the club is really special," Malen said. "I think he is a great coach when you look at what he has done in his career, the prizes he has won, and the players he has developed. It was a big reason. The forwards he had under him always provided good numbers. That is what forwards need.”.

Rashford will hope to hit the ground running at Villa, despite facing possible competition from Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers for his favoured spot off the left. Villa are next in action against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup fourth round next Sunday. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. 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.