Why Solskjaer and assistant were left frustrated by underperforming Man Utd ace in City defeat

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It was a night to forget for Man Utd on Tuesday after their defeat to Man City, and it appears as though Jesse Lingard’s place in the line-up could be under serious threat.

The Red Devils gave themselves some hope of advancing to the League Cup final courtesy of Marcus Rashford’s second half strike, but they were completely outplayed in the opening 45 minutes as they fell 3-0 behind in the first-leg of their semi-final tie at Old Trafford.

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Time will tell what line-up Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decides to put out this weekend when they host Norwich City, but it appears as though Lingard is at risk of being dropped by the Man Utd boss.

According to The Sun, the 27-year-old is facing the axe from United as Solskjaer and assistant Mike Phelan were left frustrated by Lingard’s ‘inability to follow instructions’, before opting to replace him at half-time.

Given Lingard has managed to contribute just one goal and one assist in 27 appearances so far this season, it’s only natural that he will come under scrutiny and criticism from the outside, but it appears as though his poor form could also be testing the patience of the Man Utd coaching staff too.

If that’s the case, it may be enough to even spark doubts over his future at Man Utd, as with the club chasing a top-four finish in the Premier League while trying to remain competitive in their pursuit of major trophies, they need more consistent and reliable options in the squad.

Lingard’s slump has seemingly been going on for some time, and so unless he is able to break out of it soon and show his worth to the Red Devils, he could have more to worry about than just his place in the XI.

Further, as noted by The Telegraph, his decision to join up with agent Mino Raiola hasn’t gone down particularly well at Old Trafford, and so it remains to be seen what the future holds for the England international.

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