Mata Praises Lingard's Progress

Juan Mata feels his team-mate Jesse Lingard has matured as a player and is playing his best football in a Manchester United shirt this season.

The no.14, who recently turned 25, is enjoying his best goalscoring season with the Reds having reached double figures already in all competitions – including five during a fruitful December. He started the new year as he means to go on by netting his 10th of the campaign with a sensational strike late on to seal United's 2-0 win at Everton on New Year's Day.

Lingard, who came through the ranks at the club before making his first-team debut in 2014, has been in sensational form of late and has flourished since switching to a central attacking role.

Speaking before the victory at Goodison Park in an interview with MUTV, Mata expressed how pleased he is for Lingard, who he feels is enjoying playing for his boyhood club and his confidence has never been higher.

“We are really pleased for him,” said the Spaniard. “I know he's a Manchester guy – he came through the Academy, he knows the club and what it's like to be a United player.

“He's been with us in the first team for a few seasons now and this season he's really scoring and playing his best football and playing with confidence. I think he's matured as a player and we are very happy with him because he's helping the team with important goals."

Despite his unprecedented goals tally at this stage of the season, Lingard has spoken of his desire to add to his total and revealed he has set a personal target which he is keeping close to his chest.

The England forward has also shown his ability to score different types of goals with a range of finishing – from his bullet header against Swansea City in the Carabao Cup to his exquisite flick against Burnley on Boxing Day.

“He’s got different qualities and he’s very smart, intelligent and dynamic to look for the ball,” added Mata about his team-mate. “He plays and moves and always looks for the pass and in the box he finishes. Sometimes he makes mistakes like every one of us but he’s scoring a lot of goals and we are happy for him.”