Manchester United: Jesse Lingard is the perfect number 10 for Jose Mourinho

Rio tells the story behind Jesse’s rise

Rio Ferdinand spoke after the game about how Jesse Lingard’s upbringing has led to him become the player he is today. How Lingard has had to use his mind over physical attributes and had to work out advantages on his opponents. Probably one of the reasons why he has developed later than others, just like Sir Alex said.

A player like this Jesse clearly thinks about the game and has the intelligence and attitude to play at the top-level. Unfortunately, in today’s social media crazy world, you will forever be dragged back to not quite being at that level, if you don’t back your performances up with numbers. Now Jesse is being recognised as he’s adding the numbers to his game.

8 goals in 10 club appearances. Incredible form. How a player can go from never looking comfortable in front of goal, to clinically disposing of teams, is down to confidence and practice. Lingard has become more comfortable in front of goal as the situations he finds himself in are familiar to what he has practised in training, he now also now has the confidence in a game situation to apply what he’s worked on too.