This is a typical story for Manchester United this season.. Beat big teams and suffer with smaller ones. Striking counterattacks combined with a sad inability to break into the entrenched rival's defense. Step forward step back.

After half the championship, United boasts victories over Man City, Leicester, Chelsea and Tottenham. In addition, the “red devils” are the only ones who were able to take points from Liverpool, playing 0-0 at Old Trafford in October.

But on the other hand - shocking defeats from Crystal Palace, West Ham, Newcastle and Bournemouth with Watford. Add here more draws with Southampton, Aston Villa and Everton, and get far from the best idea of \u200b\u200bMan United season..

But why? The thing is that Manchester United is a counterattack team? In the end, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s guys won only one of 12 matches this season, in which they owned the ball more than 50%.

Or is there something more? Sitting at a hotel in Manchester, Jesse Lingard ponders the question, and concludes that there is something else. He believes complacency played a role in United's bumpy start.

“It's weird,” says Lingard.. - Perhaps the thing is in the mood. Perhaps we approach the match as if we had already won. If we were able to maintain constancy and the mood that was for the games with the City and Tottenham, we could win every game "

" We need to maintain the approach throughout the season that was in the games with the “townspeople” and “spurs”. If we start the match correctly and are full of energy, we can create problems for the opponent.

Manchester United victories over Man City and Tottenham this month coincided with Lingard’s first outings since early September.. It seems that after a difficult period, Jesse’s business has gone up again..

Lingard recently told Sportsmail about family issues that significantly affected his form on the pitch.. But now he returned to the team rested to fight again for the position of the tenth number.

All that is missing is to manage your moments more efficiently.. For example, we can mention Lingard's unrealized one-on-one exit with Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster.

" Of course, sometimes you are in good shape, and sometimes in bad shape.. In the second case, you just have to fight, listen to the trainers, work hard in training and give all your best to 110%. I’ve done it and I’m feeling toned "

“I always like to influence - to score, to assist, or to work hard and help the team. I enjoy doing it. From the beginning of my career, I always tried to be in shape, stay sharp and play from free-kick to free-kick. I believe that the tenth number should run - both in attack and in defense. If you constantly do this for 90 minutes, then, of course, you’ll get tired, but then help the team "

Manchester United won the Europa League and League Cup in 2017 with Jose Mourinho. This season, the “Red Devils” have a chance of winning both tournaments, and Lingard is sure that you need to aim for the trophy..

" There is no specific trophy we want to win. But we are participating in four tournaments and want to win something - this is the main goal, "

" When we lose or draw, we are upset, the mood in the team is not the best. But we have players who help bring back the smile, set everyone up for the next game. "

It is easy to mistakenly attribute Lingard to the new generation of United. His debut match for the team in August 2014 made his way between leases in Leicester, Birmingham, Brighton and Derby, until he became a member of the first team of Manchester United in the 2015/16 season.

Jesse is associated with younger players, especially with his close friend Marcus Rushford. That's just Rushford 22, and Lingard this month turned 27. He has a daughter, and he is an important figure for those young players who appear in the first United team this season..

“At the start of the season, I said that I would like to be a leader both on the field and outside it. I wasn’t very talkative in youth teams, but now I want to take this leadership and be more responsible for the locker room before the matches. I started doing this "

" They get their chances and do really well.. We have experienced football players who won trophies. This combination works great. "

A highlight for Lingard was the game in Kazakhstan against Astana, where he was the team captain. It all ended with United 1: 2 defeat, but that does not take away the fact that the Mancunians put the youngest squad in European competitions in their history.

" It was a special feeling to lead the young guys that night, "

" We had to win, but lost, but it was more than just a match. It’s a great honor to be the captain of Manchester United.

Lingard's problems with hamstring and recession in uniform influenced his prospects in England. The player who made the base for the 2018 World Cup semi-final against Croatia did not play in any selection match for Euro 2020.

" Now I'm returning to my peak, and this is what Olya and Gareth want to see. It’s important for me to play well for Manchester United in the first place - and there things will improve in the team. I just need to continue what I’ve been doing in the last few games. "

Chris Wheeler, The Daily Mail.