Manchester United: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer defends Jesse Lingard but his time is ticking

It was after the exhilarating win at the Etihad last month that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made a point of praising Jesse Lingard’s performance. The anniversary of Lingard’s last Premier League goal was approaching and it has since passed. Lingard is still waiting to score or even assist in the league since a brace in Solskjaer’s first game in charge. But that night, he had played well as part of a dynamic, counter-attacking United.

“He’s Man United through and through. He’s a red, he’s got a great attitude and a great work rate,” Solskjaer said. “You can criticise anyone about anything but for me as a manager, I have to look after these boys in the good and the bad times. It’s great to work with him. I had him in the reserves; gave him his debut against Burnley. It’s good to see him back to his old self.”

Solskjaer also suggested personal off-field problems had affected Lingard’s form. The player himself then revealed how he has had to care for his younger siblings while his mother is unwell, all while adjusting to life as a father to his one-year-old daughter. During the 1-1 draw with Everton that weekend and a few days later against Colchester too, his name was sung by the Old Trafford crowd in two rare but striking shows of support.

But such is the scrutiny that comes with playing for a club of United’s stature, that goodwill was unlikely to last forever. Since that pair of good performances in those victories against City and Tottenham, Lingard’s displays have come back under the microscope. A miss in the defeat to Watford was costly and meant his wait for a league goal stretched beyond the 12-month mark. His only minutes against Newcastle and Burnley came as a substitute. Against Arsenal, he was poor. Against Wolves, he was absent through illness.

That same illness makes Lingard a slight doubt for the first leg of United’s EFL Cup semi-final tie against City on Tuesday night, but a return to training means there is a chance he could start. If he does, a repeat of his performance at the Etihad a month ago is required in order to kick-start a crucial season in his United career. Lingard’s contract expires in the summer of 2021, with United retaining the option of another year, and that Lingard has sought out the services of Mino Raiola adds another layer of intrigue.

Solskjaer side-stepped a question on Monday morning about whether Lingard was playing for his future, but the message was still clear. “I think every player is playing for his future at the biggest clubs,” he said. “You have to perform and you have to do well. You all have different roles in it at a different age. You have more influence behind the scenes as well to be one of the main characters. Both on and off the pitch everyone here has a lot to play for.”

It is easy to forget that only two years ago during Jose Mourinho’s second season, Lingard was one of United’s most improved and effective players. His 13 goals and seven assists during that campaign was comfortably the best return of his career and at international level with England, he looked capable of playing as a roaming central midfield player under Gareth Southgate and emerged out of the 2018 World Cup in credit.

What he has never been is a playmaker or a particularly creative passer. Still, Solskjaer has insisted on playing a No 10 and often deploying Lingard in the role. It cannot be helping. Lingard’s best skill has always been his running off the ball and, when in possession, dribbling into space. So it was at the Etihad. He played as more of a second striker – sitting off Anthony Martial – and his pivots, turns and runs were a crucial part of United’s many fast breaks during the first half hour. His movement with the pace of Martial, Daniel James and Marcus Rashford practically won the game.

Tuesday night is therefore precisely the sort of the contest which suits his talents. After the semi-final draw was made last month, Solskjaer said he did not think United could beat City by playing the same way twice. “We’ve got to stamp our authority more on them,” he said. “There’s not many that can do, but we’ve got the aim for that and strive for that. I don’t think you’ll beat City twice in a row or three times with the same tactics so we’ll have to do something better than we did last time.”

But given United’s struggle to find a coherent Plan B, expect more of what was seen at the Etihad. That is likely to be good news for Lingard, who will be given every chance to play. “There’s no one who runs as much as Jess. He’s a great trigger for us in the pressing, he’s a lively bubbly character,” Solskjaer said. “He’s got his head down and working hard. He’s getting back to the Jesse I knew.” But after a few backward steps, he needs another big performance.