Manchester United: Jesse Lingard reveals new motivation after ‘not being at it’ this season

Jesse Lingard has admitted he has “not been at it” this season due to off-field issues but found new motivation to succeed at Manchester United during lockdown.

Lingard has not started a Premier League game since New Year’s Day and has been limited to just an FA Cup appearance and one substitute appearance against Crystal Palace since last month’s resumption.

The 27-year-old is hoping to force his way back into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s thinking quickly, with United’s Champions League fate to be decided at Leicester City on Sunday before their Europa League mini-tournament in Germany next month.

When asked to summarise United’s season to date, Lingard said: “It’s been a lot different. I know personally I’ve not been at it and I know what I needed to do to get that confidence back. I’ve been working hard and waiting for the opportunity now.

“I felt lockdown really made me sit back and re-evaluate everything and I wanted to go back in and worker harder than anyone else. That was my own motivation.”

Lingard revealed in December that he has been helping to care for his younger brother and sister after their mother fell ill. The England international is also father to a baby daughter.

He told PA Media: “At the start of the season I had quite a few off-the-field issues that I had to deal with privately. Obviously I spoke to the manager about it and he understood.

“When I was playing, I wasn’t really fully concentrated. I was thinking about different things in the back of my head of what’s happening off the field.

“I wasn’t really mentally right, really, to play even, to an extent. Lockdown kind of came at a good time for me, where I could really re-evaluate the things that were happening.

“It’s just about getting me back to me, like me back to the old Jesse. I used to obviously revise on all the games I played, whether it be the World Cup games or games in the youth team.

“It’s about me looking at that and thinking ‘yeah, there is a player there’ and ‘be more confident and show your ability’.

“Even from when we went back to United, I’ve trained well over there and I’ve been positive, so it’s just about obviously waiting for my chance to play again and I’ll be ready so I’m in a really good place at the moment mentally, physically.

“I’ve got good people around me that are looking after me. The coaching staff are happy, so I’ve got to wait for my opportunity now.”

Lingard has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford having sought representation from super-agent Mino Raiola earlier this year. Everton and West Ham are among clubs believed to be interested.

The England international – who started all but one game under Gareth Southgate at the 2018 World Cup – expressed his love for United on Thursday, having played for the club since he was seven years-old.

“I’ve been at United for so long and I love it and I’ll keep on loving it,” he said. “I train with a smile and go in with a smile because it’s my job and I love what I do and I love the club as well.”

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