Southgate: Jesse’s form is no surprise
JESSE Lingard has emerged as a major threat to Dele Alli’s World Cup starting place after being set free by Jose Mourinho.
The United midfielder has been in outstanding form this season – scoring 13 goals and forcing his way into England’s plans for Russia.
Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate is disheartened to see so few English players flourishing at the Premier League’s biggest clubs – but Lingard’s success at United has been a highlight as well as Raheem Sterling and Kyle Walker with City.
“It’s not a surprise for us because he’s a player we’ve believed in from early on with the Under-21s,” said Southgate on Lingard. “What he’s fulfilling now is converting chances into goals.
“He’s always been a player who has been clever at getting between the lines and finding space. The difference is converting his ability to finish in training into matches. We have felt he’s a player who cans score goals, no question.”
Tottenham’s Alli remains favourite to begin the World Cup as England’s No10 – but this season he has struggled to replicate his scintillating form he produced over the last two years.
And Lingard’s ongoing performances for United will continue to put pressure on Alli. “There are some similarities in how they play, some differences,” said Southgate. “Dele’s goal-scoring record over the previous two years has been phenomenally high.
“He hasn’t been able to convert those chances this year, but it’s great to have those players to pick from.”
Southgate admits he is having to pick from a shallow pool ahead of the World Cup – which is why the development of Marcus Rashford and Lingard at United has been so crucial.
“I was at a game with Martin O’Neil the other night,” he said. “I thought I shouldn’t be feeling sorry for myself because he said he’d gone to watch Arsenal, but it was just for a night out.
“So I’m fortunate that I’m able to go to the big matches and some of our players are playing. Not as many as we’d like, but also smaller countries with small pools of players have done better than us in the recent past.
“The likes of Denmark, Croatia, nations who get the most out of a smaller group.
“We are experimenting with some players we think we need to know might come into the fringes of the squad. “But we also have to accept we are not as far down the path as Brazil are and Germany in having a more settled team.
“Also our young players are developing so quickly and we have faith in them over a longer period of time so to give them experience now is critical.”
It’s not a surprise for us because he’s a player we’ve believed in from early on Gareth Southgate on Jesse Lingard