​Manchester United forward Jesse Lingard has heaped praise on his teammate Romelu Lukaku, claiming that the Belgian star has had an impressive first season at the Red Devils.

Speaking ahead of his sides Premier League showdown against Manchester City, via ESPN, the England international said: 

“Rom [Lukaku] has come in and scored 20-plus goals in his first season. He’s still ever so young and the things he can achieve in his career don’t bear thinking about. At the moment, he’s doing well for us and that’s what we need right now.

“If he can carry on scoring between now and the end of the season, that will help us.”

The Belgian international has certainly impressed since joining the Red Devils from Everton in the summer – scoring 25 goals in all competitions. The 24-year-old will be a key part of United’s push for the Premier League title next season, after struggling to keep the pace with this year’s runaway leaders Manchester City.

Meanwhile, Lingard has defied his critics by finally breaking into the starting XI at Old Trafford – with his ability to score crucial, spectacular goals catching the attention of England boss Gareth Southgate, who is likely to name the 25-year-old in his 2018 World Cup squad. Lingard has scored 13 goals for his side this season, and has become a crucial part of the team.

In other news, ​United have been a dealt a blow in their pursuit of Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti, after the French international reaffirmed his commitment to the club following his side’s 4-1 UEFA Champions League win over Roma. 

The 24-year-old celebrated by kissing the badge when his team scored, and claimed in his post-match interview that he wants to remain at the club.

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