Manchester United news: The demise of Jesse Lingard at Manchester United

Where next for the England forward? 

The brother of Manchester United forward Jesse Lingard took to Instagram on Monday night to label the club as “classless” after his brother was omitted from the matchday squad for what could prove to be his final home match for the Old Trafford side. “20 years of blood, sweat and tears, four domestic trophies, three cup final goals. Not even a farewell,” remarked Louie Scott. “Classless and the fans need to realise.” 

When asked about Lingard’s absence in the 3-0 victory over Brentford in the Premier League, interim manager Ralf Rangnick stated that the player simply wasn’t match fit and had himself asked to miss the match. “He asked me to allow him some time at home,” said Rangnick after the game. “Tonight was one of those I would have loved to have five subs.”

Indeed, due to Lingard’s contract at Man Utd coming to an end this summer, the England international is widely expected to leave the club, rather than be offered a new deal under incoming manager Erik Ten Hag. And the manner in which he is likely to leave will disguise the fact that once upon a time the forward was considered a popular player at Old Trafford and a consistent performer. 

In and out of favour – Lingard’s downfall at Man Utd 

The wide forward broke into Man Utd’s first team in the 2015/16 season, when he bagged no less than six goals and four assists, averaging a solid 0.33 goals and assists per 90 minutes for Louis Van Gaal’s side. Lingard’s reputation then grew with another solid performance in the following campaign with an average of 0.33 goals and assists per 90. 

Jesse Lingard is expected to leave Man Utd this summer when his contract with the club comes to an end

But it wasn’t so long ago that he was a regular starter for the Old Trafford side… pic.twitter.com/WCeD3jcYbt

— Transfermarkt.co.uk (@TMuk_news) May 3, 2022

However, it was in Jose Mourinho’s second season at the club that Lingard really hit full stride for his team. In the 2017/18 season the forward bagged 13 goals and seven assists, averaging an incredible 0.68 goals and assists per 90 along the way. The England international was seemingly untouchable as long as Mourinho was picking the team. 

That, of course, all changed when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over in December 2018 and oversaw the remainder of a season which saw Lingard’s output almost half to just 0.37 goals per 90. Then, rather dramatically, the forward picked up just 1888 minutes of football under the Norwegian manager in the 2019/20 season, bagging just four goals and two assists along the way. 

Since then, Lingard has managed just two goals and one assists in two seasons for Man Utd, picking up just 727 minutes of football along the way. And while a brief loan spell at West Ham proved that he was still capable of performing in the Premier League, his standing at Old Trafford has continued to diminish with each passing day.

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