MY ACCOUNT
Ralf Rangnick denied having any problems with Jesse Lingard as he confirmed the England international and Edinson Cavani were available again for Manchester United.
Both players missed the FA Cup fourth-round clash with Middlesbrough, which United lost on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Friday.
Cavani was granted extra time off after international duty with Uruguay, while Rangnick said Lingard had been allowed to “clear his head” after he was not allowed to leave the club during the January transfer window.
Lingard disputed the suggestion he had requested to skip the Middlesbrough game, insisting the club had instructed him to take a longer break. Rangnick said after the match that he had wanted Lingard in the squad.
Rangnick has insisted there is no animosity between himself and Lingard and that he would have sanctioned his exit on deadline day were it not for the absence of Mason Greenwood. The 20-year-old is not currently being considered for selection by United following his arrest for alleged rape, assault, sexual assault and threats to kill.
The United interim manager said both the 29-year-old Lingard and Cavani would be back for Tuesday’s Premier League match against Burnley.
“With regards to Jesse, I have a very good relationship with him,” Rangnick said on Monday. “He knows I would have been willing to let him go at least until the issue with Mason came up. He mentioned some personal issues.
“We have to look forward now, there are no problems whatsoever between myself and Jesse and vice versa. I’m very happy to have him in the squad and he’ll be in the squad for tomorrow night’s game.
“They’re both available and will both be part of the squad for tomorrow’s game at Burnley. Both are top professionals, both have been training well.”
United will be without Fred and Alex Telles for the game at Turf Moor after the Brazilian pair tested positive for coronavirus.
The match is the Red Devils’ first since their shock cup exit to Middlesbrough, in which they were punished for missing a hatful of chances, ending the contest with 30 shots and 4.32 expected goals to their opponents’ 1.43.
Rangnick felt the performance was positive but that United paid the price for their profligacy in front of goal and for failing to stop a simple Boro counter-attack before Matt Crooks’ equaliser, which was allowed to stand despite the ball striking Duncan Watmore’s hand.
Asked if United needed an overhaul, he said: “I don’t know. I don’t think so. Overall, the development of the team and performances over the last couple of weeks have improved.
“There are two points of criticism that we all have to face. One: we wasted too many clear-cut chances, 22 shots inside the box, 10 were massive opportunities and we should easily have been 3-0 up at half-time. It should have been 6-1 or 6-2.
“And the other one was, 10 seconds before we conceded the goal, it was a perfect counter-pressing situation inside their half, we took away time but not the ball away from them and eight seconds later we were outnumbered in our box, it was a handball goal and I’m still convinced this goal should have been disallowed, but we shouldn’t have allowed this situation.
“Those are the two things I fault with the team. We invested a week into the game plan and many of those things have been confirmed by the team and were shown on the pitch against Middlesbrough.”
