Evening Telegraph (First Edition)

Rangnick brushes off criticism over Lingard

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MANCHESTER United interim manager Ralf Rangnick has dismissed criticism that it was “classless” to deny Jesse Lingard an Old Trafford send-off earlier this week.

Lingard is one of several players due to leave United this summer, but although Rangnick gave Juan Mata and Phil Jones farewell home appearance­s in the 3-0 win over Brentford on Monday night,

Edinson Cavani got the nod ahead of Lingard with 15 minutes to go.

That prompted Lingard’s brother Louie Scott to hit out on social media, pointing to Lingard’s two decades of service since he joined United aged seven in 2000.

Lingard has been a frustrated figure at Old Trafford this season. He was promised the opportunit­y of more first-team football after impressing on loan at West Ham last term, but has only made four starts all season.

Rangnick said: “To start with, in the last couple of weeks under my tenure he has played far more games than he used to.

“Secondly, on game day against Chelsea (on April 28) he asked me to release him from the game and training the following day for personal family reasons. And this was the reason. With only three substitute­s I had to take a decision between Edinson Cavani and Jesse Lingard, or the young (Alejandro Garnacho).

“I took the decision to bring on Edinson. Had I not brought on Edinson someone else might have asked if it’s classless not to bring on Cavani or Garnacho.”

Lingard could come into contention for this evening’s trip to Brighton.

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