Several of Manchester United’s departing players took to the pitch of Old Trafford for one final time in Monday’s Premier League match against Brentford (3-0). But, there was one notable absentee: Jesse Lingard, a United academy product, was left an unused substitute on the bench, and the fallout from the same rang loudly.
Lingard’s exclusion from Manchester United’s final home game of the season raised a fair few eyebrows. The Englishman, who came through the club’s academy before representing the first team more than 200 times, was left an unused substitute on the bench ahead of his expected departure this summer.
Instead, interim manager Ralf Rangnick gave starts to veterans Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic and brought on Edinson Cavani and Phil Jones – four players who are to leave the club at the end of this season.
Disappointed with his absence, Lingard’s brother, Louie Scott, took to Instagram to leave a scathing assessment of the situation.
“Twenty years of blood, sweat and tears, four domestic trophies, three cup final goals. Not even a farewell.
“Classless and the fans need to realise. Goodnight, god bless. Tarar. Been there since nine years of age and didn’t even get a send-off. Well done bro, your family are proud,”
he wrote.
As per Manchester Evening News, the player himself was left disappointed at Rangnick’s decision to throw in Cavani in place of him during the game.
The Englishman missed United’s previous game against Chelsea (1-1) but was brought on as a substitute in a 3-1 loss to Arsenal before that. In comparison, Cavani had been absent since mid-March after picking up an injury.
Lingard has made 22 appearances across all competitions so far this season for the Red Devils – most of them from the bench – and scored two goals. The club had decided against selling him last summer following an incredibly successful short loan spell at West Ham United, during which he netted nine times in 16 games and was even named the Premier League’s Player of the Month for April 2021. The 29-year-old will leave upon the expiration of his contract in this one.
