Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he knows the “value” of Jesse Lingard and says the attacking midfielder still has a role to play.
Lingard made an appearance off the bench against Crystal Palace in midweek, his first minutes on the pitch since the restart.
His Premier League action this term has been restricted to just over 900 minutes, with his involvement cut even further after the signing of Bruno Fernandes.
But Solskjaer told the United club website that the 27-year-old is showing the professionalism and dedication required to remain in the frame for a place going forward.
“Jesse is a part of the club and he’s worked really hard,” Solskjaer said.
“He deserves his chance to come back in and we know his qualities. We know that Jesse’s got different qualities to other players and he knows that we value him.”
Despite having multiple irons in the fire, with Europa League action on the horizon and a Champions League place still up for grabs in the league, the United boss wants his team focused on the job at hand.
“This is a great chance to get to the final, we’re just one step away, it’s at Wembley, so we just focus on the FA Cup.
“And a trophy, of course, that’s massive for any player to win and any team to win, so that’s our main focus now – to get to the final.
“Then we will look at West Ham and look at Leicester after that.”
