Jesse Lingard made a whirlwind start to life as a West Ham player when the on-loan midfielder bagged a brace against Aston Villa and he has since enjoyed a prevalent role in David Moyes’ side.
It’s that role at the forefront of the team which was the deciding factor in Lingard wanting to join the Hammers after the situation at parent club Manchester United saw him left out in the cold.
The 28-year-old, whose style of play was described as “unique in some ways” by former teammate turned coach Michael Carrick back in 2018, fell down the pecking order at Old Trafford and told BT Sport (via Daily Mail) in the build-up to tonight’s clash with Sheffield United about the reasons behind his decision to move on loan to the Irons:
At this age, it’s all about regular football and showing people what you can do. I’m here to play, win and help the team, so hopefully I can do that and we’ll see where we’re at come the end of the season.
But it’s about playing with a smile on my face and enjoying my football and getting back to the old Jesse.
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Manchester United’s loss is West Ham’s gain if Lingard can maintain anything similar to the form he showed against Aston Villa for the remainder of his loan spell with the club.
There have been few reservations over the attacking midfielder’s ability to perform on the big stage, although some cynics may question previous video misdemeanours and look towards his lack of football as signs of a lack of ambition.
However, as his early weeks in east London have proved, his desire to play and perform hasn’t deserted him, and the Hammers could well be the beneficiaries.
