Manchester United youngster Jesse Lingard has revealed that he is very close to attaining full fitness after a lengthy injury layoff, praising Louis van Gaal for a desire not to rush him back into action before he is ready.

The 22-year-old picked up a knee injury during his first match of the season for the Red Devils against Swansea City, a game Van Gaal had handed him a starting spot in, and was ruled out of action for over four months.




But now that Lingard has recovered fitness, playing two matches for Manchester United's Under-21 side, the former Leicester City loanee has thanked his club's physios and backroom staff for assisting his recovery.

"It's obviously amazing to be back", Lingard was quoted as saying by the FA's official site.
 


"I think I'm very close now [to full fitness]. I started the Norwich game and played about 70 minutes but began cramping up.  

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"I had a behind-closed-doors game and played the full 90 minutes in that, and another 90 minutes here, so I feel really good."

Lingard also took time to thank his senior team manager Van Gaal, who refused to rush him back to action until he was perfectly fit to play.

"I don't think the boss wanted to rush me into any games really, especially as he said I would come back at the end of the December when, in fact, it was the start [of the month].

"I thought the boss didn't want to rush me and now I feel it's the right time to get back playing."

Locked down on a contract at Old Trafford until the summer of 2016, Lingard will be aiming to catch Van Gaal's eye over the remaining months of the season.

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