Villa's Rashford gamble leaves four options and welcome to Grand Slam Track

Monday, March 31, 2025

After four thrilling FA Cup quarter-finals, four teams are preparing for a trip to Wembley and are starting to taste the silverware to secure glory this season.

Unai Emery's Aston Villa have thrived in the cups, easing past Preston North End to reach the final four, with a quarter-final jaunt to Paris against PSG in the Champions League to come too.

One beneficiary from Villa's ambitious project has been Marcus Rashford: Rejuvenated under the Spaniard and on loan from Manchester United, Thomas Tuchel has already summoned him for the beginning of his England project.

A double at Deepdale further builds the momentum for Rashford's remarkable comeback and, as Richard Jolly explains, the Manchester United loanee could define an unorthodox and risky strategy as Villa plot a historic season on three fronts.

Also in your Sports Brief newsletter this week:

Until next time, 

Jack Rathborn

Sports Editor

Our favourite sport features

Welcome to Grand Slam Track, Michael Johnson's brainchild with speed stars, prize money and live data

Grand Slam Track hopes to revolutionise athletics, without the field events of course, with Michael Johnson hoping to capture the imagination of a sleeping giant of a sport. Anchored for so long to an event in the Olympics taking place once every four years, this league, held over four yearly events, replicating tennis and golf, hopes to spark change and banish the infrequent head-to-head match-ups that have grown to define the sport. Not only that, but athletes will race two events at each meet and, in most cases, one event they are entirely uncomfortable or unfamiliar in. It promises to be a fascinating adventure, starting in Kingston, Jamaica on Friday, with Lawrence Ostlere discussing everything around it with co-founder Steve Gera here.

Yuki Tsunoda lands dream seat – but Red Bull driver must beware F1's poisoned chalice

Formula One is brutal, that much has been clear for decades, but the ruthless move from Red Bull after the Chinese Grand Prix, discarding Liam Lawson for Yuki Tsunoda after just two races, epitomises the pressure swirling around the constructors' champions' garage. The Japanese star is brimming with confidence ahead of his debut, alongside Max Verstappen, at a home grand prix in Suzuka, and Kieran Jackson examines the scrutiny on both drivers, including the history and, as some have observed, curse behind pairing up with the four-time world champion.

How Joe Joyce's strange career led him to a dangerous shootout in the last-chance saloon

The heavyweight scene is thriving and as deep as it has been for decades, even if Oleksandr Usyk is a dominant champion and deservedly the No. 1 in the division and among the very best in the entire sport.

Scratch beneath the surface when examining best of the rest, from IBF world champion Daniel Dubois, Anthony Joshua and a Joseph Parker perhaps in the form of his life, a forgotten contender bids to keep alive the dimming hopes of conquering the heavyweight division: Joe Joyce. 

'The Juggernaut' is back this weekend against another contender, the once feared Filip Hrgovic. It's a last chance for the Briton, who bludgeoned Dubois and Parker before defeats to Chinese veteran Zhilei Zhang. Steve Bunce traces the rise and fall of Joyce and his chances of redemption starting at the Co-op Live Arena, Manchester on Saturday.

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