Aston Villa forward Marcus Rashford is reportedly set to miss the remainder of the campaign due to a hamstring injury.
The 27-year-old - currently on loan at Villa Park from Manchester United - was a surprise omission from the matchday squad for the Villans during their FA Cup semi-final on the weekend.
Unai Emery's side were slaughtered by Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium, meaning that Villa's wait for a major trophy is threatening to enter its fourth decade.
Rashford has performed admirably since arriving on a temporary deal from the Theatre of Dreams in early February, scoring four goals across 17 appearances.
The forward joins Real Betis man Antony in a list of players who have improved following loan moves away from Ruben Amorim's side over the winter.
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Rashford 'expected' to miss rest of season
According to The Athletic, Rashford's promising stint in the Second City has been cut short by a hamstring injury following the 2-1 loss at Manchester City on April 22.
The report states that the 27-year-old is expected to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 term, meaning that he could have already played his final match for the Villans.
Rashford is supposedly now focused on recovering in time for England's two fixtures in June, as well as Man United's pre-season over the summer.
Emery's side are believed to possess an option to buy the attacker permanently for £40m during the off-season, although it remains to be seen whether such a move will materialise.
The Villa head coach revealed after the Palace defeat that Rashford would be sidelined for "some weeks", putting his place in the squad for the remainder of the term in doubt.
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Can Villa snatch Champions League football without Rashford?
Since arriving at the club in February, Rashford has provided Villa with genuine world-class ability in moments as they seek a positive end to the term.
After being dumped out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage, the Villans need to scramble their way back into the competition via a top-five finish domestically.
The Second City side are beginning to stutter and stumble in the pursuit of success this term, with Emery's troops currently seventh, three points from Chelsea in fifth.
Carter White
