“Jesse Lingard is going to be some player.”
“He is 19, came through our youth system and is built like Jean Tigana was for France. But he never got into the limelight there until about 24, and I think that will be the same as Lingard.”
“He will become a player like 22, or so. As an attacking midfielder he has got a really good talent. I think he will be a player we have high hopes for, definitely.”
(Sir Alex Ferguson, 2012).
Those were the words from former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2012, on a 19 year-old Jesse Lingard before his loan move at Leicester City. 5 years on, and under Jose Mourinho, Sir Alex’s comments on Lingard looks to have been right on the money.
Jesse Lingard was at it again on New Years Day. The in-form midfielder notched his seventh goal in nine Premier League games with a fantastic jinking run and composed finish as United saw off the threat of Everton at Goodison Park to return back to winning ways after a dip in form during the Christmas break – it was the latest in a long line of impressive performances this season for Jesse Lingard.
Lingard’s continued improvement under Mourinho is proving a big boost for United at just the right time. Sir Alex Ferguson comments in 2012 has not only highlighted his huge faith in home grown talent but whether we can call him prophetic remains to be seen depending on whether Lingard carries on his rich vein of form.
“These boys, they jump or they don’t jump”
Said Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho.
“One thing is to be a young talent, another is to be a very good player. Some players are not capable . From great potential young players, they go to normal players . I think Jesse is giving that jump. He is being more consistent. He is being more adaptable. He understands better the game, the different spaces, the different positions. He is going in a good direction.”
Much has been made of Pep Guardiola’s ability to young players with massive potential to the next level – and rightly so which is reflected in the stunning form of fellow England international Raheem Sterling who is setting the league alight as City take giant steps towards another Premier League crown. Nobody would have thought we would be placing Jesse Lingard under the same bracket as Manchester City’s £50million signing from Liverpool. Lets face it, Lingard has been mightily impressive this season for United and much credit must be given to Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff for their faith and belief in United’s very own.
Lingard has defied plenty of critics by becoming a vital player under the tutelage of Mourinho popping with key goals in key moments over the last couple of years. Many had written off the career of a player who has been at the club since his tender years. With loan spells at Leicester City, Birmingham, Brighton and Derby in his early United years, Lingard has finally found his feet, paying back the faith that has not only been invested in him by Mourinho but by Sir Alex Ferguson who was the one person who saw just what he could do and the talent he held.
Mourinho stated in his praise for the player that a lot young potential players do fail to make that jump to the next stage, but on the evidence of this season, not Jesse Lingard. The statistics highlight just how impressive Lingard’s contribution has been.
The 25-year-old United midfielder ranks amongst the very best in the Premier League for minutes per goal or assist. No surprise to see Mohamed Salah, Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero on that list. But there alongside Raheem Sterling and Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho, stands United’s Jesse Lingard. Seven goals and four assists is no flash in the pan for a player who was considered to be a benchwarmer earlier in the season when Henrikh Mkhitaryan was high flying notching five assists in four games but a few months on, it is Jesse Lingard stealing the show as the Armenian playmaker underperforms.
Lingard’s goals and assists have come at a rate of one every 84 minutes and he has now netted seven of United’s last 14 Premier League goals. As well as his beautiful strike against Everton, there was the clinical double against Arsenal at the Emirates, the double against Burnley on Boxing day – goals that allowed United to draw back from two goals down at Old Trafford continued the impressive trend of Lingard coming up with important goals at important moments. Throw in the goal against Watford, an impressive mazy run jinking past 3 or 4 defenders before subtly and coolly slotting past Heurelho Gomes in the Watford goal. A gorgeous sight to behold.
That evening in Watford turned out to be seismic with regards to United’s midfield pecking order. The man brought in to replace Henrikh Mkhitaryan took full advantage of the space afforded to him by the hosts’ tactical setup. One assist, one goal of the season contender followed by an impressive brace against rivals Arsenal four days later sparking a scintillating run of form.
Lingard has had to fight tooth an nail to finally cement his position amongst the United’s warm embrace and has only recently become a universally accepted figure in the dressing room. Despite developing an exceptionally useful trait of popping up with key contributions in big games, its taken his recent run of form to permanently endear himself to the Old Trafford supporters.
United’s performances with and without Jesse Lingard are like night and day, if you need any examples, just check out United’s Boxing day game against Burnley and you will see the stark contrast when Lingard isn’t on the field of play. 2-0 down at half-time, lacking fluency and that killer edge. Mourinho needed some inspiration, and the fact that he called on Lingard for that spark just goes to show how far the 25-year-old has come over the years. He came on and responded with two goals. Two goals that you will regularly accustom to your modern number 9, the first a sublime flick into the far corner from Ashley Young’s cross, the second a snap shot into the bottom corner, a finish that required such finesse and technical skills.
Like Raheem Sterling at Manchester City, Jesse Lingard has vastly improved his finishing and has already surpassed his highest tally in a season with 10 already so far this year. Whether utilised in a number 10 role behind two strikers or in your modern day 4-2-3-1 set up, Lingard or Mkhitaryan has been tasked with countering into space, using his directness and speed to push United up the pitch, and he has done that to devastating effect so far this season. The former has excelled, the latter has flattered to deceive. No wonder why Mourinho holds Lingard in such high regard right now. If Lingard carries on this sort of form throughout the season, you can’t bank against him becoming a certainty for the plane to Russia at the World Cup this summer.
Against Everton, Lingard made 83 high-intensity sprints – 29 more than any of his Manchester United team-mates and 21 more than anyone on the pitch. Mourinho requires his players to make that jump in progress, and in Lingard he has found a player ready and willing to respond in the right way. With Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic out injured, other players would need to step up, and Lingard is doing just that. It may not change Mourinho’s stance on the fact that he needs more money but it is a reminder that getting the best from players that are already there is just as significant if the team can progress.
Jesse Lingard is the perfect example.
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