Lingard must save his United career: Neil Humphreys
Attacking midfielder's two-goal, one-assist display for England should inspire his Red Devils recovery
Despite scoring twice for England, Jesse Lingard's fine performance was tinged with regret.
He should be doing this every week.
The 28-year-old midfielder feels like he's treading water instead of climbing peaks, as he drifts along at Manchester United.
He's not quite squandering his talent, but two goals and an assist for the Three Lions in their 4-0 win over Andorra yesterday morning (Singapore time) offered another glimpse of an alternative future, one where he dominates for both club and country.
While most England matches come with the usual caveats in World Cup qualifying campaigns - the fourth-ranked nation knocked four past Andorra, ranked 156th - Lingard did enough to suggest he deserves better. Or does he?
Recent history, along with his undoubted capabilities, would certainly indicate he was worth more than four minutes of playing time this season with United.
His four-month loan spell at West Ham United felt like he'd swopped a club for a parallel universe. Nine goals and four assists in 16 English Premier League games barely scratched the surface of his renaissance.
Lingard underwent a metamorphosis. A reversal of fortune, form and confidence that was so dramatic and sudden, he almost earned a last-minute recall to the England squad that reached the Euro 2020 final.
But Gareth Southgate didn't fancy him in the end and Lingard didn't fancy a permanent move to east London, reportedly rejecting Hammers coach David Moyes' gushing overtures.
Lingard opted on a return to Old Trafford instead, an admirable decision in many ways, indicative of an ambitious footballer keen to fight for his inclusion at a superior club. Plus, he didn't own a crystal ball.
The attacking midfielder might have known of Jadon Sancho's arrival and perhaps even Edinson Cavani's intention to stay, but he had no idea of Cristiano Ronaldo's last-minute epiphany involving a giddy homecoming to Manchester.
Lingard finds himself so far down the pecking order that he's essentially debeaked.
Even his England goal celebration, which paid homage to Ronaldo, seemed a tad awkward. Lingard said the "Siu" gesture was a welcoming gift for the returning legend. But it felt like a temporary facsimile until the real deal shows up.
At West Ham, Lingard was the real deal. At Old Trafford, he's a stop-gap Ronaldo impersonator, if he's going to be anything at all.
He's more likely to drift further to the periphery, before a cut-price departure to a lesser club when he's in a weaker bargaining position.
Gary Neville was adamant that Lingard had to follow Daniel James' path and rebuild his career elsewhere, rather than waste away in United's reserves.
But there is a middle ground, as long as Lingard replicates the consistency he found against Andorra (admittedly, a harder task against decent opposition).
Lingard drifted inside from the right to score both his goals and often operated behind Patrick Bamford, enjoying a degree of freedom he never got at United (it's hard to enjoy anything in a four-minute cameo against Southampton.)
At West Ham, Lingard operated in similar positions, a quick, attack-minded midfielder who found possession between the lines and delivered goals.
Previously, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's conservative line-up made space for only one footballer with these attributes and that footballer was always Bruno Fernandes.
Solskjaer generally prefers a double midfield pivot against tricky opposition, which leaves one less space for an attacker, which means no space for Lingard.
But United's embarrassment of attacking riches has made Solskjaer flush with confidence. The Norwegian has spoken of a faster 4-3-3 with a holding midfielder making way for a creative virtuoso.
Only time will tell, which is unfortunate. Lingard will be 29 in December. Time is hardly an ally and he's stuck in line behind a 36-year-old who's got more abs than Lingard's got trophies.
But Southgate gave the amiable footballer a shot at international redemption and Lingard took it, scoring his first England goals in almost three years.
Perhaps a bolder United formation will allow Solskjaer to do likewise and give Lingard a chance to save his United career.
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