Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford had to be content with a place on the bench while Jesse Lingard was fielded alongside Juan Mata, Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku against Swansea City on Saturday.
United produced a lively first half performance to secure a 2-0 win, thanks to goals from Lukaku – his 100th Premier League strike – and Alexis Sanchez, who really needed the confidence boost.
Combined with Chelsea’s home defeat to Tottenham, it was a good weekend for United who are now 12 points ahead of the reigning champions in the race for the top four; a surely unassailable lead with just seven games remaining.
We’ve taken a closer look at the numbers behind the performance of Lingard, who is valued at just £22.5m by Transfermarkt, and went into this one on the back of two impressive England performances and his first Three Lions goal.
The academy graduate looks so much more lively when United play at a high tempo and he was at the heart of everything good about their first half display.
He can motor forward from the number 10 position with 2 dribbles here, and also contributed one key pass, as well as the deflected assist for Sanchez’s goal.
Three crosses and four shots show Lingard’s ability to produce end-product – this is by far his most productive season in terms of goals – but three tackles also show that he is not afraid of getting back in and doing his work defensively.
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He had to do that in the second period here as Swansea came on stronger and he will also have to muck in defensively as he is fielded more like a conventional midfielder as it stands for Gareth Southgate’s England.
In a season where so many of United’s more expensive stars have flattered to deceive, could you make the case that Lingard has been the most consistent forward at the club?
