Man Utd: Meulensteen compares Lingard to Andres Iniesta
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had been leaving Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira out of his team selections before the coronavirus brought the Premier League to a halt. And reports claim that’s because the Norwegian felt the two players needed a break amid scrutiny over their performances at Old Trafford.
Manchester United had been on a roll before the coronavirus crisis, with the Red Devils winning eight of their last 11 matches across all competitions.
But, throughout that fine run, Lingard and Pereira had become peripheral figures around Old Trafford.
Lingard has had to make do with a place on the bench following the arrival of Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon, with the 25-year-old enjoying a sublime start to life at his new club.
Pereira, meanwhile, has found himself below midfielders such as Fred, Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic in the pecking order.
And The Sun say Solskjaer took them out of the firing line because he believed the duo needed a break.
Both players have been widely criticised by fans on social media, with many growing frustrated with their inconsistent displays.
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Meanwhile, Lingard’s recent displays recently prompted former Red Devils hitman Louis Saha into criticising the player.
“Jesse has a lot of energy and runs about a lot,” he said.
“But where he struggles is that he doesn't link up the play well enough and struggles with that final product.
“When I watch him play, I get really frustrated as he does a lot of things well, but his play in the final third isn't good enough, which is concerning for an attacking midfielder.
“He has a lot of talent and is a good player but struggles to get himself in the game sometimes and is unable to get himself in the right areas.
“When Jesse gets into the right positions, things will start clicking for him and he will get goals.”
United are bracing themselves for a big summer.
Jadon Sancho is in their sights with the Borussia Dortmund forward enjoying a stunning campaign in Germany, being directly involved in 29 goals from 23 games.
Jack Grealish is another being eyed amid his impressive performances for Aston Villa.
And United have also been linked with the likes of Harry Kane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with Solskjaer eyeing a new striker.