Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has joined Aston Villa on loan, both Premier League clubs announced on Sunday, bringing to an end a difficult few weeks for the England striker after he was frozen out at Old Trafford.

Rashford, who has been capped 60 times by England, will join Villa until the end of the season.

“I was lucky to have a few clubs approach me but Aston Villa was an easy decision. I really admire the way that Aston Villa have been playing this season, and the manager’s ambitions. I just want to play football and am excited to get started, Rashford posted on social media.

“I would like to thank Manchester United and Aston Villa for making this loan deal happen… I wish everyone at Manchester United all the best for the rest of the season,” he added.

Rashford has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances for Manchester United after coming through the club’s youth system and breaking into the senior side in 2016. He has lifted the Europa League, two FA Cups and two League Cups.

However, the striker had not featured for United since mid-December after admitting he was ready for a new challenge in his career.

Manager Ruben Amorim called into question the forward’s workrate and defended his decision to again omit him from his squad for their win over Fulham last month, insisting he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.

Rashford has also scored 17 goals for England. He has played in two World Cups and two European Championships for his country

Villa have also signed Spanish fullback Andres Garcia from Levante and Dutch striker Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund in the January transfer window.

-Reuters

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Manchester United’s woeful home form this season continued as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday.

Despite United chasing a fourth successive win in all competitions, Palace were much the better side in the first half at Old Trafford, passing up several chances to capitalise on their superiority.

The visitors did make one count after 64 minutes, Jean-Philippe Mateta reacting first after the ball had come off the crossbar to give his side a deserved lead.

United upped the ante in search of an equaliser but lacked ideas, with Mateta condemning the hosts to a seventh home league loss this term with a late second, helping Palace climb above 13th-placed United into 12th in the standings.

“The result is really bad,” United manager Ruben Amorim told Sky Sports. “The performance was a little bit better than the last games. We controlled the transitions quite well for Crystal Palace.

“It’s normal for the fans to feel negative, it is a hard season for them but football can change in certain moments. I will prepare for the next game and move forward. Better things will come.”

United came into Sunday’s encounter on the back of their best run under Amorim, having secured a third successive win in all competitions at Steaua Bucharest on Thursday.

Amorim has, however, yet to taste back-to-back league wins since he took charge in late November. No United manager since Tommy Docherty in 1972-73 has had to wait so long to achieve that.

After a pre-match tribute to those who died in the Munich air disaster 67 years ago, Kobbie Mainoo, playing in an unfamiliar central striker role, went close to giving United the perfect start, striking the post with a deflected shot.

Palace, in fine away form having won four of their previous five on the road, looked the more threatening early on, with defenders Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell going close to an opener.

The visitors continued to press, with Mateta denied by a brilliant save from Andre Onana as halftime approached.

Needing improvement after again failing to score in the first half of a league match – now 18 goalless opening periods in 24 this season – United pushed forward after the break.

Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson was finally called into action, denying Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte with smart saves, but Mateta’s close-range finish, after Maxence Lacroix’s header had hit the crossbar, was what the visitors’ endeavour merited.

For all their pressure, United openings failed to materialise, with Mateta finishing off a Palace counter in the 89th minute to send the away supporters into raptures.

– Premier League – Manchester United v Crystal Palace – Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain – February 2, 2025 Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta scores their second goal past Manchester United’s Andre Onana Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduf

United have now lost seven of their first 13 league home matches this season, their joint-most at this stage of a league campaign, along with 1893-94.

United defender Lisandro Martinez was carried off on a stretcher in the second half with what looked like a serious knee injury.

-Reuters

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Paul Onuachu scored a dramatic late winner as Southampton secured their first Premier League victory since November at fellow strugglers Ipswich.

While Saints remain anchored to the bottom of the table with just nine points from 24 games, their win also arrests a run of six consecutive top-flight defeats and is the first time they have taken three points since Ivan Juric was appointed manager on 21 December.

The visitors had opened the scoring in the first half when Joe Aribo’s bouncing first-time effort deceived home goalkeeper Arijanet Muric.

Liam Delap levelled for the hosts before the break, racing away from Saints captain Jan Bednarek to place a low effort past Aaron Ramsdale.

And in a largely uninspiring encounter Omari Hutchinson, Julio Enciso and Delap had opportunities to claim all three points for Kieran McKenna’s side.

However, when substitute Kamaldeen Sulemana’s effort was only parried by Muric, Nigeria forward Onuachu was on hand to prod in the rebound.

Until that point, the Tractor Boys had looked set to move out of the relegation zone on goal difference, but instead stay 19th.

-BBC

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