It would be fair to surmise that Jesse Lingard’s recent loan move to Manchester United has been pivotal in his career.

The Red Devils midfielder moved to West Ham United in the January transfer window in an effort to revive his stuttering career.

Having not made a single Premier League appearance for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2020/21, though, he has enjoyed an instant impact in the capital, bagging four goals and providing two assists.

Former Manchester United manager and current Irons boss David Moyes has hailed the 28-year-old's "quality" due to his exciting performances for his adoptive employers.

Despite the terms of his loan deal ruling him out for the teams' meeting on Sunday night, Lingard could fire a stark reminder to Solskjaer about his importance to not only West Ham but also to the Red Devils.

Since the £9m-rated winger arrived in London, the Hammers have only lost one match, with Lingard’s goals alone being worth four points already. Without him, Moyes' men would more than likely not be in contention for the top four.

In fact, since Lingard arrived, the Hammers' goalscoring rate has increased from 1.6 per game to 1.8.

It is that form which has triggered reminders of Lingard’s thrilling 2017/18 season under Jose Mourinho. Throughout that campaign, he was a key performer as the Red Devils finished second in the table, scoring eight goals and providing six assists in the process.

His goals throughout the campaign were actually worth seven points to the Red Devils. Without Lingard, they would have finished as low as fourth.

In not lining up for the opposition, Lingard could actually show Solskjaer that he is deserving of a first team place at United should his teammates struggle to create opportunities to score, such has been his impact on the Hammers.

He could find it tough to break in once again once he returns to Old Trafford, but his form could convince Solskjaer that the Red Devils were slightly too quick to jettison him.

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