Lingard has some value, but not enough for United
THE first question put to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after Manchester United’s last-gasp FA Cup quarter-final win over Norwich City was not about Harry Maguire’s late winner or Odion Ighalo’s growing cult hero status but a player who had started for the first time since lockdown, put in a muted performance and had been substituted after little more than an hour.
Jesse Lingard was also a frequent topic of conversation in the pre-match briefing, following his absence from the squad against Sheffield United last Wednesday.
Solskjaer said that was due to an illness and he promised Lingard would start at Carrow Road, but there were no similar guarantees on whether the 27-yearold would be signing a new contract at Old Trafford any time soon.
“Let’s see what the future will hold,” was all Solskjaer would say on the matter on Friday, despite the fact that Lingard could leave as a free agent in a year’s time or for a modest fee before then. United have an option to extend his terms by a further year but Lingard’s own manoeuvrings — like calling on Mino Raiola’s services, for example — suggest he is considering his options.
When the subject of Lingard’s future was raised again on Saturday night, Solskjaer side-stepped the question. Instead, he focused on the benefits that United’s fringe players would feel from their run-out at Carrow Road.
“I think Jesse and the others that haven’t played needed another game, needed minutes, needed to get their sharpness back and in that respect it’s worked out really well,” he said.
To be fair, Lingard (right) needs minutes. He has played just 1,777 in all competitions this season — fewer than any other United outfield player to have avoided a lengthy injury spell or arrived late, fewer than academy graduates Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams, and only a few hundred more than reserve goalkeeper Sergio Romero.
If that is not an indication of where he is in Solskjaer’s thinking, what is?
And Solskjaer’s reluctance to use him is understandable given his miserable spell in front of goal over the last 18 months. Lingard has only scored twice and assisted twice this season. He has famously failed to score in the Premier League since the first game of Solskjaer’s caretaker spell in charge back in December 2018. He has failed to register a top-flight assist since the following January.
That is a poor record for any attacking midfielder, but those struggles have also fuelled a campaign of gratuitous criticism.
He was far from United’s worst player at Carrow Road — one nimble dance through Norwich’s defence was the closest the visitors came to scoring in the first half — but that does not seem to matter to his harshest critics.
And the focus on Lingard’s output threatens to overshadow much of the good work he does for Solskjaer’s side when given the opportunity. Lingard is United’s most active presser — harrying opponents more on average than any other member of the first-team squad during this season’s Premier League — and the second-most successful at closing down the opposition this season, behind only Fred.
It is no fluke, either. Lingard has consistently been one of United’s busiest players off the ball over the last few years. He presses more than any other United player in both the midfield and final third. Only Greenwood and Bruno Fernandes win more tackles high up the pitch on average than Lingard.
This is what Solskjaer wants, too. He has spoken regularly about his desire for his players to put opponents under pressure high up the pitch and, though their approach varies depending on the opposition, United are one of the Premier League’s most active pressing sides.
That would suggest there is a role for Lingard, especially if he can start to produce goals and assists. He clearly has something to offer as a pressing forward, but — given how difficult the last year and a half has been — perhaps not to Solskjaer’s United.
Lingard made his 200th appearance for the club shortly before lockdown. You would not bet on him reaching his 250th. The questions on whether he will stay or go will keep coming, but they increasingly seem to have an obvious answer.
SEAN Dyche is sure that his threadbare Burnley squad have the mentality to cope with any more challenges in the remainder of the season.
The Clarets have endured a turbulent time since football resumed earlier this month following the three-month coronavirus stoppage.
Injuries and contract issues have depleted the squad, a plane carried an offensive banner over the Etihad Stadium while the team were thrashed 5-0 at Manchester City and there has been speculation over Dyche’s future.
In the face of all that, Burnley eked out a 1-0 win over Watford last Thursday and manager Dyche hopes the same defiant attitude prevails as they travel to Crystal Palace tonight.
Dyche said: “To come through that is a real testament to the professionalism of the players, so we will park that now and get on with the next games.
“The mentality was clear against Watford and we want that mentality going into the games coming up and we want to get as many wins and points as we can.
“We are limited with the squad numbers, but I’m not going to say anything other than my intention is to play hard and play strong. I think the team will go about it the right way as we normally do.”
Dyche is hoping striker Jay Rodriguez, who netted the winner on Thursday, will be fit to feature after hamstring and ankle issues.
The Clarets are otherwise short with Robbie Brady, Chris Wood, Ashley Barnes and Johann Berg Gudmundsson still sidelined and Jeff Hendrick, Joe Hart, Aaron Lennon and Adam Legzdins having reached the end of their contracts.