Former Manchester United defender David May has insisted that Jesse Lingard is a better player than Tottenham Hotspur star Dele Alli.
Alli scored in Tottenham’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup at the weekend, but Lingard was the bigger threat as he continued to operate in a free role behind Romelu Lukaku, who was leading the line for Jose Mourinho’s men.
Lingard’s importance for Manchester United was epitomised by the constant attention he received from Tottenham’s midfielders and defenders and he was fouled constantly throughout the game.
A peripheral figure until last season, the England man has come to the fore for Manchester United this term and has been one of the key players in Mourinho’s squad over the last few months.
And May feels Lingard is a better player than Alli and also has a better attitude on the pitch than the Tottenham man, who has been known for his petulance and temper during games.
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The former Red Devil believes Lingard is only going to get better after enjoying his best season as a Manchester United player.
May said on MUTV’s The Paddy Crerand Show: “People are going on about this Dele Alli being a superstar.
“I’ll tell you what, Jesse is better than him.
"He is not petulant, he doesn’t act like a big kid, doesn’t dive around and he is just a normal lad who works his socks off for his team.
“This has been his best season in a United shirt and he is getting better. He is maturing now as a top player.
“We are reaping the benefits for me.”
Lingard, who has been at Manchester United since his childhood, has scored 13 goals and has seven assists to his name in all competitions this season.
