Kind-hearted Lingard Wants Run To Continue

Jesse Lingard cannot pinpoint why Manchester United's form has been better on the road than at home of late but the midfielder is targeting another victory at Anderlecht in the Europa League on Thursday night.

It's been a good week for Lingard, who signed a new contract with his boyhood club last Thursday, and he made one supporter's day by handing him his shirt and signing it after being substituted during Sunday's 3-0 win at Sunderland.

The Reds have won the last three away games in the Premier League, scoring three times in wins at Leicester City, Middlesbrough and now Sunderland, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marcus Rashford grabbing the goals at the Stadium of Light.

Sebastian Larsson's first-half sending-off further hindered the Black Cats' chances, when they were already behind to Ibrahimovic's strike, but Lingard feels it was an assured display by Jose Mourinho's men.

"Of course they were down to 10 men, but it was a professional performance," Lingard told ManUtd.com. "We created a lot of chances and had a lot of space in behind the midfielders, especially for me and Micki [Henrikh Mkhitaryan].

"After that, we knew we had to keep the ball as they put us under a bit of pressure at 1-0 and came out fighting. But we knew, if we kept possession, we would wear them out and get the second and, as it turned out, third goal.

"We do very well on the road. I don't know what it is but we seem to do well. At the end of the day, it's another game under the belt and another three points."

Anderlecht are the barrier to a place in the last four of the Europa League and Lingard says the target is not merely an away goal but a win to set things up for the second leg at Old Trafford.

"Of course, we look to win in any game," he said. "We know it's a big game as it's another route into the Champions League, which is very important for us and the club. We want to go there and get the victory.

"We know it's going to be tough but it's who's better on the day. If we can go there with the right mentality, as I'm sure we will, I think we'll win."