After netting twice on his West Ham debut on Wednesday, Jesse Lingard’s loan move from Manchester United is already looking like a masterstroke.
The versatile midfielder finally secured a switch away from Old Trafford last week after not starting a single Premier League match for his boyhood club this term.
With Lingard, 28, making such an impressive start in the 3-1 win at Aston Villa, we look at how he ended up in East London and whether the loanee can find a way back into Gareth Southgate’s England plans.
Emerging with promise
Lingard (pictured above) has always been a popular figure on the red side of Manchester having progressed through the club’s famed youth ranks.
Loans with Derby, Birmingham and Brighton provided a footing for the Warrington-born star to break into United’s senior set-up and he made 25 Premier League appearances in both 2015-16 and 2016-17.
He even made a habit of scoring at Wembley, netting in the FA Cup Final victory over Crystal Palace in 2016 and the League Cup final triumph against Southampton the following year.
Rise and fall
By 2017-18, Lingard was at the top of his game, featuring 33 times for the Red Devils in the league and forcing his way into the England squad ahead of the 2018 World Cup campaign.
Netting four goals for the Three Lions across that calendar year, including a memorable tournament strike against Panama, he seemed destined to remain a regular for club and country for years to come.
But things came tumbling down in 2019, when Lingard did not register a single goal or assist for club or country.
What went wrong?
The fall from grace was dramatic and until recent days had proved impossible to recover from.
Alongside a general loss of form, Lingard was dealing with off-field issues, including family illnesses.
Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2019, he said: “My mum has had some things for years but never really got help. Now she is, so I have been taking care of my brother and sister. They are with me.
“It has been tough to see my loved ones struggling and then I have to come to work and try to do my job.”
Change of scene
Although playing struggles continued into last year, a late goal against Leicester in United’s final game of the delayed 2019-20 campaign suggested it may mark a turning point.
Yet it has been a case of new season, same old problems for Lingard, falling further down the pecking order as the improving Red Devils added depth to their squad.
Talk of him departing Old Trafford gathered pace in recent months and finally it was decided that a loan switch to the London Stadium would work best for all parties.
An instant impact
Following his emphatic debut for the Hammers, Lingard has found himself thrust back into the limelight.
West Ham boss David Moyes, who previously worked with a young Lingard during his own ill-fated stint as United boss, has led the acclaim.
The Scot said: “Jesse is still getting used to us and us to him. But we are thrilled because he made a difference.
“I felt we were short in areas where we make chances. It is proved tonight that we needed him.
“If he keeps on like that it won’t be long until he is back in the England squad. He made the team better.”
One eye on the summer
It seems Lingard has also got one eye on resurrecting his international career, with the delayed Euro 2020 tournament only months away.
Speaking after the win at Villa Park, he said: “I’m coming into my prime years. I’m 28 and I want to be playing week in, week out.
“It has been a great move at the moment but I’ve got to carry it on.
“It is always the added bonus to score goals and help the team, but like I say it is about getting back out on the pitch and enjoying playing football — playing with a smile on my face.”
If he continues in the same vein, Moyes and Southgate will both be beaming.
Source: livescore
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