Sport
Has Jesse Lingard forced his way into England contention for Euro 2020?
Jesse Lingard is the form player in the Premier League and could yet force his way into the England squad for Euro 2020. Anyone suggesting that this might happen even 12 months ago would have been laughed at but since making a January loan move to West Ham, Lingard has been reinvigorated.
He didn’t make a single appearance for Manchester United in the Premier League this season but has recorded eight goals and three assists in nine league games for the Hammers so far. Jesse Lingard is nothing short of unstoppable at the moment and finally forced his way back into the England squad last month, his stunning recent form having earnt a recall from Gareth Southgate.
But with Euro 2020 now just around the corner, has Jesse Lingard done enough to earn a spot?
The right place at the right time
It was clear that Jesse Lingard needed a change of scenery, having found himself on the fringes at Old Trafford and in England exile since 2019. Self-isolating multiple times earlier in the season was a setback and personal issues have been widely reported for the 28-year-old as well.
Signing Lingard on loan was still seen as a risk for West Ham. The days when he was regarded as one of the most promising youngsters in the country are long gone and he may have even seen the move as a last chance to prove himself in the Premier League.
There is no disgrace in being deemed not good enough for Manchester United, though. Jonny Evans is a fine example of a player who was only ever a squad rotation option for the Red Devils but, since leaving the club in 2015, he has carved out an excellent top-flight career.
Lingard, born in the north-west and on United’s books since the age of seven, arguably should have taken the plunge and left the club earlier. But he landed in the perfect spot at West Ham.
David Moyes’ side were flying high in the Premier League table but in need of a dab of something special to take them to the next level in the race for Champions League qualification.
The sale of French flop Sebastien Haller to Ajax led to speculation the Hammers could sign free agent Diego Costa to boost their attacking options, but Moyes instead brought in Lingard on a temporary deal, the Scot figuring he could get the most out of an undoubtedly talented player.
That belief from Moyes has been repaid in spades and Lingard is now playing the best football of his life. He is even reportedly on the radar of European giants including Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain ahead of the summer transfer window opening, though West Ham will no doubt also be keen to secure a permanent deal for Lingard too. Making the England squad for the upcoming Euro 2020 tournament would be the perfect way for Jesse Lingard to cap a stunning comeback.
Strong competition for places
One of the barriers in standing between Jesse Lingard featuring at Euro 2020 this summer is that England have good options for creative midfielders. It is one of their strongest positions, along with right-back.
Chelsea’s Mason Mount has become a mandatory pick for the Three Lions. He is likely to be one of the first names on the team sheet for Southgate as the most attacking of a central three in midfield, assuming he sticks with the 4-3-3 formation used in March’s World Cup qualifiers.
With Phil Foden surely a certainty to be selected and Jack Grealish also in the mix – as long as the Aston Villa captain can prove his fitness after a spell on the sidelines with a shin problem – it is clear Lingard has lots of competition to nail down a place in the final 23.
One player he has likely leapfrogged in the queue is James Maddison, who has struggled with injury of late and was dropped by Leicester City at the weekend following a COVID rules breach.
Lingard’s flexibility – he could play wide, as a number 10 or in Mount’s position – counts in his favour. But Southgate is regarded as a pragmatic manager and, when it comes to finalising the last couple of places in his squad, will he opt for Lingard or go for a more defensive option?
“The Euros would be the icing on the cake,” Lingard has said of his international chances. Timing is everything in football and Lingard’s charge could not have come at a better moment.
If Jesse Lingard maintains his current form – he has scored in four consecutive Premier League games – Southgate’s decision might not be whether or not the new Hammers hero makes it into the England Euro 2020 squad but how he fits into the XI to face Croatia on June 13 at Wembley.
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