WhatsApp keeping Reds united and fit says Lingard

JESSE Lingard has revealed the United squad are in regular contact with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his coaching staff during the isolation period due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Prime minister Boris Johnson announced on Monday new measures would be in place to prevent further spread of the virus, urging people to only leave their home for food shopping, medical needs, exercise once a day and to travel to work.

The Football Association has postponed professional football until April 30 at the earliest and the date remains in doubt due to the latest measures imposed by the government.

United players have been given individual training regimes to follow during the lockdown in order to keep their fitness levels high.

And Lingard has revealed the squad is in regular contact with each other and the manager.

“We have a WhatsApp group with the fitness coach and he’s giving us daily plans to do throughout the week so we’re all keeping active,” he said.

“We’ve been in contact with the manager and the coaching staff, seeing how they’re getting on so we’re still a tightknit group and we’re just raring to go now.”

Italy is currently the worst affected country by the virus and various ex-United stars have moved to the Serie A in recent transfer windows.

Lingard said he had been in contact with both Ashley Young and Romelu Lukaku, both of Inter Milan, to check on their well-being during the difficult time.

He added: “I speak to Ash quite regularly on Facetime, he’s with his family at the moment and he’s keeping fit, he’s staying active.

“I spoke to Rom the other day and he’s doing the same.

“We have to come together in these hard times.”