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Marcus Rashford has got his swagger back.

The Aston Villa loanee ended his 120-day goal drought with a second-half double at Preston on Sunday to help Unai Emery’s side set up an FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace – and provide another clear sign he is enjoying his football again.

Frozen out of the first-team picture at Manchester United by head coach Ruben Amorim just weeks after he replaced Erik ten Hag at the helm, even those closest to Rashford accepted he had a major point to prove when he completed his loan move to Aston Villa on 3 February.

Those working with him can see the improvement in Rashford, maybe not quite to the levels of old but certainly a far cry from the passive figure he appeared at Old Trafford for most of the previous 18 months.

England boss Thomas Tuchel must have felt so too, judging by the speed with which he restored Rashford to the international fold earlier this month.

Yet there were plenty of doubters. They were out in force on social media during the first half of Villa’s 3-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory at Preston, as Rashford wasted a couple of free-kicks as the visitors struggled to turn their dominance into goals.

The only measure, though, of a striker’s success is the regularity they hit the back of the net – and he hadn’t done it for 14 games and counting since his double for United against Everton on 1 December.

But when Lucas Digne presented the opportunity 13 minutes into the second half at Deepdale, Rashford’s innate ability did the rest as he calmly picked his spot before finding the bottom corner.

Five minutes later, despite a wait for the video assistant referee (VAR) to confirm Villa should be awarded a penalty, and goalkeeper David Cornell offering some ‘ advice ‘ as he walked past to take up his position, Rashford’s nerve held. He took his time, did an extended stuttering run-up, and found the net.

“The swagger is back”, gushed Guy Mowbray in his Match of the Day commentary. “The confidence and the pose”.

“It’s a great feeling”, Rashford told BBC Sport afterwards: “It’s always nice for a forward to get a goal, so hopefully it continues.

The deal United struck with Villa to let Rashford leave is not straightforward.

The precise nature of the loan deal is complicated. United have said 75% of Rashford’s wages are being covered, although they have not explained exactly how.

That could rise to 90% if certain performance-related bonuses are met.

That, presumably, will include an extended run in the Champions League – Villa have been paired with French heavyweights Paris St-Germain in the quarter-finals – as well as the FA Cup.

Unai Emery’s side face Crystal Palace at Wembley next month as the next step in their quest to win the trophy for the first time since 1957.

In addition, they are ninth in the Premier League, three points behind fifth-placed Manchester City, who occupy what is virtually certain to be the final Champions League spot.

That proliferation of targets underscores why Emery did not really want to talk about the likelihood of Villa triggering their £40m option to turn Rashford’s move into a permanent deal.

” We can’t waste time speaking about that, “he said

Unlike Villa, Rashford has won the FA Cup twice in recent memory, including last season. He has also been part of teams who have won the Europa League and EFL Cup. In addition, he has 60 England caps. His past playbook means if he can reach the standards he has previously set, he would be an asset to any side in the world.

It is that talent Emery is trying to coax out of the player. It is, in the modern football vocabulary, ‘ a process’.

The Aston Villa boss, said:” There is still work, still weeks to get it, but today he did one step forward. He is feeling comfortable, getting confident and scoring goals. He was obviously getting better, but today it was more in his adaptation and helping us.

“He’s playing in the idea, in the plan we did with him. He has played more as a winger on the left side but he’s played in some moments as a striker. Today we decided to play him as a striker to his quality, his power and the way he exploits things.

The good thing from Rashford’s perspective is he is beginning to put together a positive body of work to counter the extended period of drift he experienced at United.

It still feels bizarre he has left his boyhood club for a perceived smaller rival, yet finds himself entering the final two months of the campaign with substantially more to play for – both in number and prestige of competitions – than he would have had if he remained at Old Trafford.

No professional career is a straight line ascent, which is why insight from those who have been there and done it is so valuable.

” You are constantly being asked questions at the top, “said former England keeper Joe Hart on Match of the Day.

” Maybe Rashford found himself in a lull but he has come to Villa with people around him that know what they are doing. He hasn’t come here with question marks about how he is going to behave and what he is going to do and how he can change the team. “

Hart found himself frozen out for a time at Manchester City and Micah Richards did not have the greatest time at Aston Villa.

But, like Hart, Rashford can see how a change of scenery has provided the impetus for improvement.

” He looks confident and happy, “said Richards.

” It was a big move going to Villa. But when you’ve got a manager that believes in you, you can do special things.

“His whole body language looks a lot better and his all-round game was brilliant. That is the best way to shut people up. People were asking questions about not fulfilling his potential but that is the way to answer.

” I really like Rashford in these wide areas because he’s always looking to run in behind.

Gallagher Premiership

Leicester (15) 22

Tries: Steward, Liebenberg 2 Cons: Pollard 2 Drop-goals: Pollard

Saracens (17) 29

Teenager Angus Hall scored an eye-catching try on his first Premiership start as Saracens reignited their top-four hopes with a hard-fought win at Leicester Tigers.

The 19-year-old collected Elliot Daly’s pass and sped clear to finish in the corner after Saracens had fallen behind for the first time in the match.

Jamie George and Juan Martin Gonzalez gave the visitors a 14-point lead before the Tigers fought back to lead through Freddie Steward and a Hanro Liebenberg double either side of half-time.

But Hall’s effort pulled Saracens level and replacement Theo Dan scored the decisive try from a Leicester line-out, with Cameron Henderson’s effort for the Tigers controversially ruled out for offside.

Saracens ‘ bonus-point win lifts them to sixth in the table, two points behind Leicester in third.

Sarries, who started with a quartet of England players in an effort to boost their play-off chances, suffered an early setback as prop forward Fraser Balmain was carried off injured in the opening minute.

But it did not disrupt the visitors ‘ rhythm as they quickly opened a 14-point lead, moving the ball back and forth across the pitch inside Leicester’s 22 before George eventually burst over the line.

George and Theo McFarland then made inroads on the right and Saracens brought the ball back infield for Gonzalez to scoot through a sizeable gap in the Tigers ‘ defence, with Alex Lozowski adding the extras on both occasions.

A try-saving tackle by Tom Willis denied Solomone Kata soon afterwards, but a wave of Tigers pressure finally paid off as Ollie Hassell-Collins set up Steward, who broke clear to score under the posts.

After Handre Pollard and Lozowski had traded drop-goals, it was Leicester who finished the first half in the ascendancy after Liebenberg squeezed over to reduce the gap to two points at the turnaround.

That momentum spilled into the second half as the Tigers turned the ball over deep in opposition territory and Liebenberg took advantage, going over for his second try to put the home side ahead for the first time.

The lead was short-lived, however, with quick hands from Saracens enabling Daly to release Hall and the youngster displayed good technique to hold off Adam Radwan’s challenge and dot down just inside the corner flag.

Saracens were hit by another injury blow when Lozowski was forced off on the hour – but again they responded by scoring, with Maro Itoje doing enough to disrupt the line-out so that Julian Montoya’s throw sailed through for Dan to collect and finish.

Leicester Tigers head coach Michael Cheika told BBC Radio Leicester:

“We came out of the blocks slowly, then we got ourselves together but we knew it’d be a battle to the end. I think from the ruck in particular it was quite slow, we didn’t really get the flow in attack we would have liked.

” First half, some of our close-quarter tackling wasn’t as good as it could be. Second half we tidied up that defensive bit, but we weren’t able to adjust to go and take some field position and get back in the game.

“I thought overall the line-out played out pretty well, but the play where we gave away the try – those are the close-quarter actions you’ve got to be mindful of winning in order to beat a team like Saracens.

Replacements: Clare, Whitcombe, Cole, Joussain, Ilione, Youngs, Shillcock, Perese.

Saracens: Daly, Elliott, Lozowski, Tompkins, Hall, Burke, Van Zyl, Mawi, George, Balmain, Itoje, Tizard, McFarland, Gonzalez, Willis.

Replacements: Dan, Carre, Riccioni, Isiekwe, Onyeama-Christie, Earl, Simpson, Goode.

Betfred Super League

Huddersfield Giants (4) 4

Tries: Flanagan Jr

Hull KR (16) 50

Mikey Lewis scored a hat-trick as Super League leaders Hull KR notched nine tries in an emphatic victory over struggling Huddersfield Giants.

Lewis bounced a tackle to free Oliver Gildart to open the scoring in the sixth minute but Rovers ‘ lead was quickly cut by a superb try by George Flanagan Jr from deep.

The Robins responded soon after, though, with Lewis crossing for the hosts ‘ second score before gaining 70 metres to set up recent signing Arthur Mourgue to score his first try for the club.

Rovers failed to let up in the second half as they dotted down six further tries without reply, with Lewis completing his treble and Jai Whitbread, Jez Litten, Sauaso Sue and Tom Davies also scoring tries.

It was always going to be a tough order for Huddersfield to end their poor start to the season against the table-toppers.

But if there was ever as big a reminder for Huddersfield’s player-turned-coach Luke Robinson of the huge task he faces, then it was this battering by Rovers and stand-off Lewis.

The England international had a field day at the John Smith’s Stadium, playing a key role in seven of the nine tries, the first of which came as he rose from a tackle and freed his arm under pressure, tip-passing in centre Gildart to begin the drubbing.

Lewis ‘ only blemish was failing to grab hold of the dummying Flanagan Jr for Giants to score their sole try of the afternoon.

The 23-year-old soon made amends, stepping inside the Giants half-back and showing his strength to ground the ball despite being spun around by Irish prop Harry Rushton.

Lewis then surged from deep for Peta Hiku to assist Mourgue’s maiden try in Rovers colours a couple of plays later.

After the interval, former Wakefield Trinity forward Whitbread crashed over from 10 yards, again thanks to Lewis, who produced a brilliant initial sidestep to break the line.

Just a few minutes later, the Lewis show continued as he kept his arm free from three defenders to free England colleague Litten to score the Robins ‘ fifth.

Lewis got his second with under 20 minutes to go, finishing off a deep, darting run from Frenchman Mourgue, not long after Sue had got his name on the scoresheet.

Hull’s number six finally got the hat-trick he was hunting for in the final 10 minutes. Gildart’s big line break and assist returned the favour to his team-mate.

Interchanges: Deakin, Burgess, Jack Bibby, Billington.

Hull KR: Mourgue, Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Broadbent, Lewis, May, Sue, McIlorum, Waerea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella.

Interchanges: Litten, Luckley, Whitbread, Tanginoa.

Betfred Super League

Wigan (22) 54

Tries: Wardle 3, Field 2, Nsemba, Marshall, French, Walters, Eckersley Goals: Smith 7

Wigan Warriors coasted to victory over cash-strapped Salford Red Devils as they ran in 10 tries at the sun-kissed Brick Community Stadium.

After successive narrow defeats by Hull FC in the Challenge Cup and at Leeds in Super League last Saturday night, last season’s record-breaking four-times trophy winners restored a bit of order.

But they were still given a far better game than they might have thought against crisis club Salford, whose unpaid players put in a far bigger shift than might have been expected of them, in the patched-up club’s current circumstances.

Hat-trick man Jake Wardle got the first, third and last tries, while Jai Field got two, and Junior Nsemba, Liam Marshall, Bevan French, Sam Walters and Zach Eckersley also crossed, all festooned by seven conversions out of 10 from Harry Smith.

Against a Salford side who could so easily not have turned up at all, Wigan also had four other tries chalked off – and the home fans enjoyed a welcome return to action for young Wigan forward Brad O’Neill, who came back after last season’s ACL injury for his first appearance since July.

But, although Wigan did all the scoring, and made it 13 straight wins over Salford in the process, it was also a day for praising the visitors ‘ weakened, wearied and depleted troops for all the considerable and unrewarded effort they put in.

After one early disallowed try for offside, Wigan were ahead inside 10 minutes when Junior Nsemba weaved his way into a gap down the left before slipping the ball outside to allow Jake Wardle to cross in the left corner unopposed.

Wigan were then down to 12 men after Salford old boy Tyler Dupree’s 21st-minute yellow card for a high tackle when they scored their next three tries.

Sam Walters went clear before giving the scoring pass to Jai Field, another big Nsemba break two minutes later set up Wardle’s second try, and shortly after, Nsemba twisted out of a tackle to get on the scoresheet himself.

It was again the same threat down the left which materialised with the first of Wigan’s six second-half tries as full-back Field powered across the pitch on an arcing run before putting on the after-burners to slip an inside pass for Marshall to cross.

That went unconverted but French dummied his way over to touch down under the posts for Smith to convert this time – and there was more to come.

After Patrick Mago broke the line, Walters combined with Wardle to get on the scoresheet, again unconverted.

Salford now face just five days of respite before being scheduled to face Catalans Dragons in the Challenge Cup in Perpignan next Friday night (4 April, 19: 00 BST). They are then due to return to league action at home to Leeds the following Thursday (10 April, 20: 00 BST).

Interchanges: O’Neill, Mago, Hill, Walters.

Sin-bin: Dupree (21).

Salford: Brierley, Connell, Marsters, Vaughan, Wagstaffe, Morgan, Shorrocks, Ormondroyd, Yates, C Hill, Wright, Foster, G Hill.

Interchanges: Sangare, Chan, Shields, Egan.