Wayne Rooney shares Man United hope as Marcus Rashford is 'fantastic' for Aston Villa v PSG

Aston Villa loanee Marcus Rashford produced another assist in their 3-2 win over PSG at Villa Park on Tuesday

Wayne Rooney lauded Marcus Rashford's 'fantastic' performance as Aston Villa claimed a victory on the night against Paris Saint-Germain, but ultimately came up short in their Champions League quarter final tie over two legs - and he joked that he hopes the striker can return to Manchester United and produce similar displays next season.

Villa trailed 3-1 after the first leg and then found themselves two goals down to goals from full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, but goals from Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Ezri Konsa saw Villa Park erupt and possess a newfound belief that the improbable was possible. Villa, though, ultimately ran out of steam and lost 5-4 on aggregate.

Konsa swept home Villa's third swiftly after McGinn's goal, when he met Rashford's low cross from the right hand side after some wonderful skill in the corner from the United loanee to escape the attention of PSG defenders. It was his sixth assist in a Villa shirt since his January switch after he was frozen out by Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim.

"I have to give a massive shout-out to Marcus Rashford - I thought he was fantastic," Rooney told Amazon Prime. "It was the Rashford we've seen over the years. His skill, ability, driving at players, getting at players. His awareness to pull the ball back.

"To keep those players, Asensio, Rashford...I hope they don't, I hope Rashford goes back to Manchester United and performs like he did tonight, because that's what we all want to see as Man United fans! To keep them, though, or attract them, they have to finish in the Champions League this year - otherwise it'd be a waste.

"Before we [Manchester United] won the Champions League, we got to a couple of semi-finals and that was a really good experience for us - to feel the atmosphere in the San Siro, the pressure of those games. Villa need to take tonight and the previous leg last week, and use that for next season. That'll really help them.

"They need to let this go for the time being, because they really want to be in this competition next season. They have a fight on their hands to make sure they do that. They've been so close, they can take a lot from this experience if they can qualify next this season. They have to rest, recover and get ready for the weekend now."

Former Birmingham City manager Rooney thinks Villa will have been frustrated by the manner of the goals from Hakimi and Mendes in the first half which just lifted the tie out of their reach, despite their heroic efforts in the second half - but he believes that Villa, as a club in its entirety, will have sent a message around Europe that they mean business.

"The way they came out for the second half was excellent, with belief and with nothing to lose," Rooney added. "They'll be proud, but they'll be disappointed as well because I think the goals conceded in the first half were really avoidable. That's what's cost them, ultimately, the tie.

"The goals conceded in the first half were sloppy, it wasn't good enough for this level, and that's what's cost them. They were then on the front foot after the Konsa goal. PSG were rattled and Villa were going for them.

"You can feel then that everyone, fans and players had that belief that they could get back in the tie - they just ran out of energy after giving so much in those 20 minutes. A fantastic effort, fans excellent, got right behind them.

"They're maybe just missing the know-how, the experience, that just takes time and sometimes it takes failing and losing in order to understand what it takes. There's been a really good progression in the football club.

"Players talk around Europe. PSG players will be going away thinking what a great atmosphere it was, what a great occasion it was, what a difficult game it was - that entices and players and gives them a feeling of 'you know what, I'd like to go and play there'. Tonight isn't a good moment but it's a big moment for the club for the next few years."