Jesse Lingard’s iconic moments for Manchester United, West Ham, England and more

Albert Pearson
7 August 2021

A positive COVID test looks to have put paid to Lingard's hopes of moving this window and that could be good news for United, especially if he can add to a host of iconic moments for club and country.

Jesse Lingard has had quite an eventful career.

Following several loan moves to sides in the Championship, Lingard burst onto the scene at Manchester United, earning international recognition with England. He then found himself out of favour both with club and country, until a loan move to West Ham United brought him back to his brilliant best.

With his scintillating runs and direct style of play, Lingard has produced many standout moments. From tearing it up in the Championship, to becoming a fan favourite at his boyhood club. Planet Sport looks at the best moments from an impressive career.

Dream debut for Birmingham City

After an impressive pre-season tour with Manchester United in the summer of 2013, Lingard hoped that he would remain with the first team. However, then United boss David Moyes decided that he wasn't quite ready, and a month-long loan deal to Championship side Birmingham City followed.

Two days later, Lingard was named in the starting XI and thrown straight into action for the Blues' league game against Sheffield Wednesday. Having had Championship experience already, with Leicester City, Lingard knew what to expect at this level and was a man on a mission to prove his doubters wrong.

Lingard scored his first ever senior goal on his debut after 20 minutes, and only 13 minutes later completed his hat-trick. Lingard went on to add a fourth goal in the second half to secure a 4-1 victory.

Opening his account at Manchester United

Despite his impressive goalscoring form in the Championship and pre-season tours with United, it wasn't until November 2015 that Lingard finally scored his first senior goal for the club.

United were being held to a goalless draw at half-time against West Bromwich Albion and were in need of something special to break the deadlock. Up stepped Lingard shortly after the restart with a brilliant curling effort from outside of the box to make it 1-0 to United.

United went on to win the game 2-0, but it was Lingard who was getting all the headlines as the boyhood fan scored in front of the Stretford End to inspire United to victory.

FA Cup final hero

Lingard was finally starting to make a name for himself at Old Trafford, adding a further three goals to his tally during the 2015/16 season. However, it was his fifth and final goal of the campaign that will be remembered most fondly by the fans.

Manchester United had made it to the FA Cup final to face Crystal Palace. United were the favourites and Van Gaal opted for a more experienced side, leaving Lingard on the bench.

Lingard eventually came on in the second half as United looked for inspiration once again. After Palace had taken the lead, Juan Mata equalised for the Red Devils late in the game, forcing the match into extra time.

As United pressed for a winner, that man Lingard was once again in the right place at the right time to volley home in the 110th minuteand secure the cup for United.

Big-game player

In the 2016/17 season, Lingard followed his winning goal at Wembley with not one, but two goals in different finals that year.

His first came against reigning Premier League champions Leicester City in the FA Community Shield. Lingard scored the opening goal to set United up for victory. After receiving the ball near the half-way line, Lingard breezed past the Leicester defence and finished with aplomb.

A few months later, United found themselves at Wembley yet again in the EFL Cup final against Southampton. Lingard once again added to his scoring at Wembley tally by netting United's second of the match and helping them to victory once more.

Lingard became one of only three players in history to have scored in each of those finals.

World Cup wonder goal

It was now clear to see that Lingard loved to play on the big stage, but could he do it for his nation on the biggest stage of them all?

England went into the 2018 FIFA World Cup with little expectation of what was to come but following a last-minute winner in their first game of the tournament against Tunisia, hopes had once again been lifted.

Their second game of the tournament came against new opposition in the form of South American side Panama, who were appearing at the World Cup for the very first time. Following their emphatic finish in the previous game, England were gunning for more glory.

A 6-1 triumph had England record their biggest ever victory at a World Cup as they cruised past the tournament debutants, securing a place in the last 16 as a result. Harry Kane was the hat-trick hero that day. However, it was a piece of Jesse Lingard magic that was arguably the highlight of the game.

England were already 2-0 up and in control of the game but they weren't planning on stopping there. Another one of Lingard's explosive runs saw him link up with Raheem Sterling outside of the penalty area, before he unleashed a stunning curling effort from 25 yards out past the stranded keeper.

It was one of the goals of the tournament and one of the best moments of England's World Cup campaign.

Lingard’s goal vs Panama | 🔥🔥🔥#MUFC pic.twitter.com/4UV1CIy2Ji
— United Update (@UnitedsUpdate) June 25, 2018

Ole's dream boy

Following the sacking of Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed as caretaker manager to try and turn their season around.

The new manager's first game in charge was against relegation-threatened Cardiff City. This was a must-win game for the Red Devils as they looked to make up points on the top five.

In what was an impressive first display under the new coach, Lingard was once again on top form when it mattered most as he scored two goals and assisted another in a thumping 5-1 victory.

The comeback king

Despite the heroics for both club and country, Lingard found himself struggling for game-time due to a drop in form, niggling injuries and personal issues.

Bruno Fernandes and Dan James were picked ahead of Lingard at club level, with Mason Mount and Jadon Sancho unsurping him in the England set-up.

However, a rare opportunity was handed to Lingard on the final day of the 2019/20 season against Leicester City. United went into the game hoping for a win to secure UEFA Champions League qualification.

The stakes were high for United, and they finally found a breakthrough in the 71st minute courtesy of a Fernandes penalty. With Chelsea comfortably winning in the other deciding game, United knew holding onto their lead was crucial.

Lingard replaced Mason Greenwood in the final 15 minutes, with United clinging on to an advantage that would see them clinch third place. With tensions at their peak, up stepped Lingard once again with a vital goal right at the death.

In what was his only Premier League goal of the season, and his first since December 2018, Lingard had secured a Champions League spot for United in classic fashion.

A new lease of life

Unfortunately for Lingard, he remained in the shadows at Old Trafford at the start of the 2020/21 season.

He was slipping down the pecking order for both club and country, and with Euro 2020 now taking place in the summer of 2021, Lingard needed a move if he was to have any chance of being selected.

Late on in the January transfer window, Lingard was allowed to move to Premier League rivals West Ham United, in what would be his fifth loan move of his career. It was a move that would turn his career around.

The kid who loves to perform on his debut did so yet again as he scored two goals in his first game for the Hammers in a 3-1 win over Aston Villa. This form continued as Lingard became one of the most in-form players in the league, notching in a further nine goals and four assists in just 10 games.

It wasn't just the number of goals that Lingard was scoring that was impressive, but the quality of them. A dizzying solo run against Wolverhampton Wanderers was up there with the best, but a superb strike from outside the box against Arsenal was probably the pick of the bunch.

This upturn in form saw Lingard picked by England manager Gareth Southgate for their World Cup qualifiers, although he missed out on selection for the Euros.

It led to Lingard being heavily linked with a permanent return to West Ham. However, after featuring heavily for Man United in pre-season and now contracting COVID, a move now looks unlikely.