Jesse Lingard opens up about his family issues amidst his struggling period at Manchester United

Jesse Lingard opens up about his family issues which had affected his performances at Manchester United leading his fallout from starting XI.

Jesse Lingard has seen a major downfall in the club, with lack of minutes in the club and minimal contribution in gaining points in the Premier League has led to Lingard losing the patience of Manchester United fans.

But Lingard has finally revealed that why is he struggling at the club. According to the Manchester United player, certain familial issues has led to a dip in his form.

“I wasn’t performing and he [Solskjaer] was on me all the time. He wanted more from me,’ Lingard told the Daily Mail. “So I felt it was best to get everything off my chest and tell him why my head wasn’t right. So I knocked on his door.”

Lingard’s mother Kirsty became unwell, leaving Lingard having to care for his younger brother Jasper, 14, and 11-year-old sister Daisy-Boo. Jasper has struggled to deal with his mother’s illness and is currently living with Lingard and being schooled from home.

Lingard himself is a parent to a one-year-old child and with the additional responsibilities of his younger siblings, it can be understood that Lingard is emotionally overwhelmed.

“My mum has had some things for years but never really got help. Now she is. So I have been taking care of my brother and sister. They are with me. It has been tough to see my loved ones struggling and then I have to come to work and try to do my job,” he added.

“I am a person who likes to deal with stuff on his own but it’s not necessarily the right thing to do,” he admitted.

“I always use the phrase ‘Be yourself’ but I have realised now that there are times when you just can’t be. My dad and older brother, Louie, have been great support but some of this stuff has broken my heart, you know?

“As a man, I have to take this responsibility on and be there for everyone. I’ve had to mature and wise up. Sometimes when your worries are so deep you can’t function properly. Now it’s about getting back to my best and I feel I can do that.”

Also read: Rio Ferdinand explains why Liverpool are the favourites to win Champions League

Lingard didn’t tell anyone at the club for weeks and nobody knew about his struggles until he revealed all to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Probably, with this, the club fans can choose to understand his problems.

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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