Some Manchester United fans are enraged at the fact that Jesse Lingard could start for the club in the Carabao Cup fourth-round clash at Chelsea on Wednesday evening.
The Red Devils are set to face Frank Lampard’s men at Stamford Bridge for a place in the quarter-finals. This clash comes a little over two months after United’s 4-0 win over the Blues at Old Trafford in the Premier League. A Marcus Rashford brace and a goal each from Daniel James and Anthony Martial completed the destruction.
United came through a test in the third round, when they managed to beat Rochdale on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time.
Ahead of the game in London, some United fans have made it clear that they do not want Lingard to start, following a prediction of the starting line up by Twitter user, The United Stand.
STARTING XI PREDICTIONS vs Chelsea
Romero
Wan-Bissaka
Maguire
Sir Philip Jones
Williams
McTomiquets dos Saucio Jr.
Fred
Pereira
Lingard
Rashford
MartialGet yours in
— The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) October 30, 2019
Lingard for what…
— jnr red (@Guyguy68872594) October 30, 2019
Lingard out.
— Kwadwo ‘Kojo’ Addai (@BombasticKojo) October 30, 2019
Lingard to do what
— Reagan Tinka (@EasyMoneySnipa6) October 30, 2019
Lingard pic.twitter.com/ijqDgne6ZZ
— david leigh (@dave689908) October 30, 2019
The 26-year-old has played seven times in the Premier League so far this season, failing to score or assist even once so far. He has also appeared three times in the UEFA Europa League, starting in the club’s 1-0 win over Partizan Belgrade.
The last time Lingard scored a goal was during the initial stages of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tenure as the manager. He scored twice in the club’s impressive 5-1 win over Cardiff City at the end of the year. His last assist came in United’s 2-2 draw at home to Burnley.
It isn’t just Lingard that some United fans don’t want against Chelsea. Another part of the fanbase isn’t too keen on seeing Phil Jones start at Stamford Bridge either.
Get jones and lingard out for lindelof and James you have yourself a decent team
— Benji (@j3rmn) October 30, 2019
Sir Philip Jones?!
— Shubham Rai (@iamshubham_10) October 30, 2019
Now 27, Jones is yet to make an appearance in the Premier League for United this season. But he has played twice in the Europa League. He started for the club against Astana and Partizan, also playing one half against Rochdale in the previous round.
United’s journey in the League Cup ended in the 3rd of the competition last season. It was Lampard himself who had ousted them, as his Derby County side had beaten the Red Devils on penalties.
What do we think
The Carabao Cup and the FA Cup are United’s best chance of winning a trophy this season, apart from the Europa League of course. Solskjaer could well be concentrating on going far in the League Cup to secure one aspect of his job and use it as a foundation for going one better next season.
Having said that, Lingard has been poor this season and has hardly done anything to deserve a start at Stamford Bridge, with his poor 6.30 & 6.31 rating in both the Europa League and Premier League (WhoScored) proving that.