Jesse Lingard says Manchester United owe their fans an FA Cup triumph and the winger believes he, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford are playing with a fearlessness that can drive them to the trophy.
United face Everton in Saturday’s semi-final at Wembley as they attempt to win the Cup for the first time since 2004.
This has been Lingard’s breakthrough season. Since coming on as a substitute in the 3-0 win at Everton on 17 October the 23-year-old has been virtually ever-present.
Whereas Martial, 20, has been a first-choice since arriving last summer, Rashford’s chance came against Midtjylland in February in the Europa League. The 18-year-old scored twice in the second leg, now has seven goals in 13 appearances and is a fixture in the first XI.
Lingard has recently been played by Louis van Gaal at No10 and, with Martial operating wide left and Rashford as United’s centre-forward, they form a young, dynamic trio in attack.
“We owe it to fans to win the Cup,” Lingard said. “It would give everyone a lift – the fans, the staff at the club and everyone can go into next season a lot stronger and more confident. I have vague memories of us winning in 2004. It has been a while since we have won it and it will be massive for the club if we do.
“I am pretty much fearless, like the other young players as well that are coming into the squad now like Rashford and Martial. We just play with no fear and at the end of the day you are just playing football with your friends, pretty much, but obviously you still have to win the game.
“Marcus is still 18. It’s his first season in the Premier League, and it’s mine as well. We are still adapting and getting used to it and that means we are going to be far more confident next year as well.
“I have always wanted to play for United and when I got my chance I knew I had to take it no matter what, so you go out with no pressure.”
Yet Lingard admits that at the beginning of last season he was not ready for the first team. His debut came in the 2-1 defeat by Swansea City at Old Trafford in the season opener.
Lingard suffered a serious knee injury early in the game and when he recovered he spent the latter part of the season on loan at Derby County. He said: “I thought in my head it was still too early for me. I remember the final pre-season home game versus Sevilla when we got back from tour. I was nervous, my passes were short, so I even knew then that I couldn’t handle it at that stage.
“After that Everton game [in October], I played pretty much every game. Moscow away in the Champions League, the Manchester derby, that whole month of October was important. We had City, Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup, we had a lot of tough games that month so to throw me in was pretty much sink or swim and I survived.”
Everton are smarting after the 4-0 hammering by Liverpool. This will make Roberto Martínez’s side more dangerous, according to Lingard.
“It’s a dangerous game,” he said. “To get beat like they did in the Merseyside derby they will be looking to bounce back pretty quick and get a good result against us. We know it is going to be an intense, tough game so we have got to prepare right, get our game plan right and put it to use.”
Lingard is from Warrington and a United-affiliated family. “Yes, they are all Manchester United fans,” he said. “Most of my family are going down because it will be my first time [playing] at Wembley. How many? About 20 people.”
