Jesse Lingard: Why we had to win Europa League | Manchester United News

Jesse Lingard: Why we had to win Europa League

Jesse Lingard: Why we had to win Europa League

Manchester United defeated Ajax on Wednesday to insert the only trophy missing in the cabinet of the illustrious club. In the week in which a terrorist attack claimed 23 lives and injured countless more at Manchester Arena on Monday after an Ariana Grande concert, Manchester United simply needed to win for the grieving fans and ensure that football won on the night, a sentiment echoed by Jesse Lingard. The winger has said that Manchester United simply had to win the match in memory of the departed ones.

Speaking to MUTV, Lingard said, “It’s a dark time and we knew we had to win to give something back to Manchester,” “Manchester is a great city. At times like this, we have to come together. It’s going to take a lot of work but it’s a great city and we have to come together. Other cities and other countries can recognise that. “It’s been a long season. Coming out of it at the end with another trophy is what everyone has pushed each other to do” he added speaking on the match itself.

Goals from Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan ensured that United qualify for next season’s Champions League group stages by virtue of winning the Europa League. Lingard didn’t start on the night, coming up as a substitute for Henrikh Mkhitaryan and missing a glit-edged chance it make the score 3-0 late on. It was a somber moment in Stockholm and the emotions threatened to boil over, but the players found it in themselves to win and make it a victorious end to what had been a difficult week.

The club have not made a statement as to whether a victory parade will occur on the streets of Manchester as investigations still continue on the events that shook the world on Monday. Lingard, 24, is a wide player capable of playing on either flank and who graduated from the Manchester United academy, making his debut in 2014 and has made 83 appearances, scoring 11 goals in the process

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