sport news Jesse Lingard SLAMS the state of Man United as he accuses them of briefing ... trends now

Jesse Lingard has hit out at former club Manchester United, labeling the club as 'behind' other elite Premier League clubs in an explosive interview. 

The Nottingham Forest attacker unleashed on the Red Devils, claiming they are stuck in the past and lacked any control since Sir Alex Ferguson departed.

Lingard told The Diary of a CEO Podcast that United had briefed the press against him after a loan deal to Newcastle collapsed last January. 

Lingard claimed the deal 'was done' until United's Director of Football John Murtough phoned and said he would be no longer leaving, before asking if his motivation to depart was to have 'days off.'

'I wanted to go on loan in January, because I wasn't playing - again - and Newcastle was on the cards,' Lingard told "the podcast.  'The deal was done and everything, but obviously the United squad wasn't big enough. 

'So, they let a couple of players go out on loan, but when it came to me, John Murtough rang and said "no, you're not going on loan."

'I was like, "well he's gone on loan - let me go and enjoy my football as I'm not playing here." He asked "what do you want, days off?" and I said "no, I just want to go and play football."

'So, then they stopped the loan - I was pissed - and when he said "did I want days off" so I messaged him and said "I am going to take two days off now, just because you said that."

'Then they put out "Jesse's asked for two days off in the media," I was like "what?" I went on Twitter straight away and put the facts out there.'

Lingard eventually left Manchester United this summer, making a surprise move to promoted Nottingham Forest after 23 years with the club. During his earlier years at Carrington, Ferguson was a figurehead but since his retirement from management, Lingard believes the club fell away. 

'There was no control,' Lingard said of his years at the club. 'When

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