The good news keeps on coming for Manchester United as Jesse Lingard rejoined the squad for training on Friday at Carrington.
The forward has not featured for the Red Devils since being forced off during the stalemate with Liverpool at Old Trafford last month, and filmed himself watching the incredible Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain at home on Wednesday evening.
The smiles still hadn’t left United faces as they were put through their paces ahead of a crunch Premier League clash against Arsenal, with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wearing a massive grin as he watched his side prepare.
Several of the young starlets who starred at the Parc des Princes, such as Tahith Chong and Mason Greenwood, were back among the first-team ranks, while some established stars that had missed the tie also got their boots back on.
Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Herrera and Anthony Martial all missed the second-leg, which United won 3-1 thanks to Marcus Rashford’s late penalty, as they joined Lingard and the rest.
Speaking about his group of players earlier in the morning, Solskjaer said: ‘I love managing these boys. I love working here. I am just doing the best I can every single day. If and when a decision is to be made we will have to think about that.
‘Everyone likes to get complimented but doesn’t change my approach. I am good at focusing on what I should be focusing on.’
The Norwegian confirmed that Martial is ready to return at The Emirates on Sunday and Matic and Herrera also in contention.
‘Anthony will be available,’ he added. ‘Hopefully we will have Nemanja and/or Herrera ready as well. They just need a couple of days training.’
Meanwhile, Solskjaer has asked Marcus Rashford to work on his predatory instincts.
The 21-year-old grabbed the decisive goal against PSG, but it was Romelu Lukaku’s poaching that helped set up the Grandstand finish, and the interim boss wants the England forward to take a leaf out of his team-mate’s book.
He said: ‘I keep battering him with it that he also should score as many goals as Rom after the training session has finished. He should always get those simple tap-ins, finishes from close range, like Rom scored in the last few games.
‘Rashy’s [Rashford’s] goals are sometimes worldies and he does have a sensational strike of the ball. But you see the improvement and maturity and change in Cristiano’s goals from when he was young to now, and he scores more from inside the box.
‘That’s what he has to do, improve his tap-ins, movement in the box, staying in the box, getting away from the centre backs a few more times. You can get those extra five or 10 goals from staying in the box, and he’s been told that.’