Lingard Tipped To Enjoy Stellar Career

Jesse Lingard's performances have been an unquestionable highlight in recent weeks, with Manchester United’s latest homegrown talent earning a nomination for the club's Player of the Month award for November alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger and Chris Smalling.

The Warrington-born winger has impressed fans since his first appearance of the season at Everton in October, scoring an excellent goal against West Bromwich Albion and collecting his maiden England call-up during the recent international break.

It's still very early days for Lingard but it seems he has all of the natural qualities needed to enjoy a stellar career, having overcome the physical problems he faced in his formative years with impervious perseverance. Mike Glennie, the club's development centre coordinator and the man who scouted the youngster as a seven-year-old at Penketh United, commented to United Review: "People look for intricate things but, with Jesse, it was simple: he affected the game and he could clearly play."

Rene Meulensteen became an important part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s backroom team at Old Trafford, but he first arrived in 2001 as a renowned development coach and the Dutchman is delighted that Lingard is becoming a star at Old Trafford. "He’s bright, he’s left-footed, he’s got great ability and skill," Rene says. "I always said to him: ‘Watch as many Andres Iniesta clips as you can’, because I see Jesse as the English version of Iniesta. He has a long way to go, but that is the sort of player I see in him.

"People say he’s small because of the perception of how the Premier League is. Look at players like Andreas Iniesta, Xavi, Lionel Messi, David Silva, Juan Mata… they’re all tiny, but it doesn’t make a difference if you have a quick brain, quick feet and a big heart, and Jesse has all of those."

The 22-year-old's physical shortcomings were apparent as he rose through the ranks at United. Jesse was a Lilliputian in a world of Gullivers and he often played with the younger age group to ensure his education was only minimally disrupted. But as Under-18s coach Paul McGuinness recently attested, his former student’s talent has shone through.

“There comes a time when you know a player’s not going to be a giant, and Jesse had to adjust to being in with bigger and stronger lads,” McGuinness explains. “He was always capable of doing that because he was very brave and always brave in wanting to take the ball.”

Meulensteen is clearly enjoying seeing his former pupil fulfill his enormous potential, adding: "Everything you see in Jesse when he takes a player on - the confidence, the tricks and flicks - it all looks natural and that's because we instilled it in him at a young age. You just need an opportunity, and that’s what he’s got now.”

Mike Glennie, Paul McGuinness and Rene Meulensteen were talking to United Review, the official matchday programme. On sale at Old Trafford, it can also be ordered online via ManUtd.com/programme.