Jesse Lingard interview: How ‘not just a manager’ Solskjaer helped me in dark days at Manchester United

England forward speaks to The Independent about finding form, United’s big wins and ‘man possessed’ Marcus Rashford

Jesse Lingard was speaking as part of the Coca-Cola #WhereEveryonePlays campaign

The past week has seen a return to form for Manchester United but also a return to form for Jesse Lingard. After an influential display in the extraordinary derby win over Manchester City, he came in for special praise from his manager. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer declared him as “back to his old self” and if anyone knows Lingard’s “old self”, it is Solskjaer.

The Norwegian gave a 17-year-old Lingard his reserve-team debut back in 2010, away at Burnley. Despite being small in stature as a young player, his first involvement was to contest a 50-50 challenge with strapping centre-half Kevin Long. It was Long, not Lingard, who ended up worse off and Solskjaer saw something.

That is why he spoke protectively of a player he has helped to develop this weekend, talking about how he has guided Lingard not just since he was a youngster but also through difficulties over the last year, both on the pitch and off the pitch. It is also why Lingard is equally effusive about Solskjaer, describing him as “not just a manager”.

“He’s been a person I can speak to about different things, different issues,” Lingard says, a few days after the win at City. “He’ll always help you out, he always has a helping hand, so he’s been brilliant with me. He’s always wanted to see me get back to my best, he knows what kind of player I am and what I can bring to the team. It’s good to be back.”

Lingard feels closer than ever to reaching his best again and the mood around Carrington this week is summed up in one word. “Confident,” he says. “It’s all about belief for us. You’ve seen the way we’ve played over the last two games and if we can have that mindset for every game – starting quick, starting aggressive, with that intensity – we can beat anyone.”

His analysis of United’s strengths is spot on. “As a team, we’re solid, we’re compact. We defend well, hit them on the transition and counter really well.” But he accepts the next step is consistency and taking chances when they arrive. “Like I say, it is all about mindset. We could’ve scored three or four against City and if those goals go in, the game’s done.”

There is a strange misconception about Lingard that he is still a young, emerging talent. In fairness, he only forced his way into the United first team four years ago, just a few months before Marcus Rashford’s breakthrough. But on Sunday he turns 27, older than the average age of Solskjaer’s youthful squad. He is becoming a senior player.

Lingard does not shy away from this fact. If anything, he is eager to take on greater responsibility. When he was one of the few members of the first team to travel to Astana at the end of last month, it could easily be interpreted as Solskjaer laying down a gauntlet. He rose to the challenge, captaining United for the first time and scoring his first of the campaign.

“I said at the start of the season I’d like to become more vocal on and off the pitch, more of a leader on and off the pitch. The Astana game was perfect for that,” he says.

“From being at the club since I was seven, it’s a huge honour and me and my family are so proud. Everyone back home was watching and were so happy. For me, that was the first step. It’s about carrying it on now.”

Jesse Lingard was speaking as part of the Coca-Cola #WhereEveryonePlays campaign

And that influence has already had an effect on Rashford. It is well known that the two are close, despite an age gap of five years or so, but Lingard is especially happy to discuss the form of friend.

“A man possessed!” he shouts. Rashford has 13 goals in his last 14 games for club and country. “He’s still so young and only 22, but the ability he has, I’ve seen it from the get go. I’ve seen him when he was younger, the goals he’s scored. I was like: ‘Who is this kid?’”

At the Etihad on Saturday, Solskjaer welcomed comparisons between Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lingard believes that is no overstatement. “He’s still got miles more in the locker. He can reach those heights,” he says. “He’s humble, he works hard, listens to the coaches and listens to his family, listens to me! But he does everything right.”

Once Rashford committed his future to United by signing a new long-term contract during the summer, there was talk that Lingard could follow. But he is cautious on the subject.

“I’ve been at United so long, it’s like a family,” he says. “It’s such a tight knit group, from the fans to the staff, everyone’s so close and together. Who knows what will happen in the future but at the moment I’m enjoying my football.”

For now, it appears his focus is rightly on earning any extended deal through an extended spell in United’s starting line-up, as part of a successful winning side, and thereby repaying the faith which Solskjaer has always shown in him.

Jesse Lingard surprised StreetGames players in the Coca-Cola Christmas truck in Manchester as part of the Coca-Cola #WhereEveryonePlays campaign.