Lingard set for restart thanks to his old pal Cole
JESSE Lingard says he is ready for the return of football.
And the 27-year-old says former United academy teammate Larnell Cole has helped him keep in top condition by moving in with him for the lockdown.
The pair came up through the Reds together, but Cole left Old Trafford for Fulham in 2014. Since then, he has played for MK Dons, Shrewsbury and Inverness, and is now looking for a new team.
Lingard says that having a friend to train with has helped to push him and keep his fitness levels to where they should be.
“I dread to think what I would be like on my own in lockdown,” Lingard said. “Larny has been with me since day one of lockdown. He lives on his own and my brother is in Greece and I would have been on my own as well, so it was the perfect time to get him in. We didn’t know how long it was going to be for, but he’s still here!”
The pair have been keeping to a strict regime as they build fitness.
“We’ve been looking at old clips from games when we were Under-18s and reserves to look back at the times we had,” added Lingard.
“It’s been good. We just want the same for each other. We want to see each other be successful.
“He’s been working hard and doing the programme that I’ve been doing, so he’s fit and sharp and can’t wait to get going.
“We’re ready. For me it was about maintaining my fitness levels and keeping up to speed. I’m ready for when we can play football.
“That was in my head from the start of lockdown, to be ready to go back as soon possible.”