OPINION
It’s fair to say that Jesse Lingard hasn’t lived up to his promise at Man United.
The 26-year-old, who has come up through the youth ranks at United, has started both Premier League games this season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer without delivering any attacking returns.
talkSPORT pundit Darren Gough was highly critical of the attacking midfielder after his display in the 1-1 draw with Wolves on Monday night.
“Would he get in the Man City team?” Gough asked. “He wouldn’t even get on the bench,” Gough added on the Drive Time show on Tuesday afternoon (TalkSPORT, 4.30pm).
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He’s got a point. Lingard is on £75,000-a-week at Old Trafford and has consistently disappointed.
In his last four seasons in the Premier League he’s only scored 17 goals and registered 12 assists in 110 games.
Liverpool left-back Trent Alexander-Arnold provided 12 assists for Liverpool in the 18/19 season alone.
According to WyScout, in the game against Wolves on Monday he had no shots, delivered no crosses and attempted no dribbles. He completed seven forward passes and seven backward passes.
It’s not good enough for a team like Man United. And Gough is right when he says it certainly wouldn’t be good enough for Pep Guardiola at Man City.
Solskjaer wants to rebuild the side in his image but it’s players like Lingard who needs to make way for more dynamic players who can deliver consistent attacking returns at Old Trafford.