Jesse Lingard reacts to criticism following comments on England and Manchester United

Jesse Lingard has hit out after the criticism which followed his claims that he feels more comfortable representing England than Manchester United.

Ahead of this summer's World Cup, Lingard gave an interview to GQ magazine in which the midfielder admitted to having less fear when playing for his national team. "I actually feel more comfortable when I play for England than United. Every game, you've got to play with no fear," Lingard said. It was a quote that caused some United fans to ridicule the 25-year-old as they felt like Lingard should feel perfectly comfortable in the red jersey. Lingard made his England debut in 2016 and has been included in Gareth Southgate's 23-man squad for the trip to Russia, where England will play Belgium, Tunisia and Panama in Group G. "It's one of the pinnacles of your career as a player and it will be my first World Cup so I've got to enjoy every minute, whether I start or if I've got to make an impact from the bench," Lingard added. "And I do think we will do well because of the team spirit we've got." Lingard is clearly a passionate Englishman and loves playing for his country but he's hit out at those who have latched on to the negative aspect of his comment, rather than focus on the fact that he was expressing his happiness in representing the national team. He took to Instagram on Thursday to confirm his dedication to his club and his comfort in lining out for the Red Devils.