Marcus Rashford described as a 'gent' after nightclub gesture involving Alisha Lehmann

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has been described as a "gent" after he 'came to the aid' of Aston Villa player Alisha Lehmann in a nightclub, according to reports.

Last month, the 25-year-old England international was on a night out in Chinawhite – a popular venue in Manchester's city centre – when Lehmann walked through the door.

The Swiss international was 'mobbed' on her arrival but after recognising Lehmann, who has over 13 million followers on Instagram, Rashford intervened by asking staff at the venue to usher her to a VIP section, away from the crowds.

A source at Chinawhite told The Sun: “Marcus cleared a table and invited her and her friends to join them.

“It was the first time they’d met but he knew who Alisha was. They exchanged a few words and she thanked him then they carried on partying with their separate sets of friends. She thought he was a gent.”

Lehmann, who has 30 caps for her country, is currently playing for Women's Super League side Aston Villa after previous spells at West Ham and Everton.

In a recent interview, the 24-year-old said she wants to use her platform and presence to “show the world that women can actually do it in football.”

Speaking to talkSPORT, Lehmann said: “To be honest, I don’t really think about it. It’s not something where I wake up every day and think, ‘Oh my God, I have so many followers.’

“It’s more that it’s really nice, the support and everything and it’s also a big opportunity. I would like to show the world that women can actually do it in football and you don’t need to just to be normal.

“You can also be a bit crazy, just be you, and use your personality to show the world who you are.”

She added: “Some people just see Instagram and social media and don’t even know I actually play football. When I don’t post a football picture for a week, people say, ‘Oh, she doesn’t even play.’

“I think sometimes it’s a bit hard because obviously I play like I train every day, like everyone else, like I play every weekend and sometimes it’s hard because they make a picture of you.

“I’m a proper footballer. I work hard every day. I want to be the best version of myself in football and that’s my first priority in life.”

SPORTbible has contacted a representative for Alisha Lehmann for comment about the alleged incident.