Ander Herrera has encouraged Manchester United team-mate Jesse Lingard to adopt a shoot-on-sight policy while his purple patch continues.

England international Lingard reached double figures for the season by crashing home his seventh goal in nine games to cap a 2-0 victory over Everton on New Year’s Day.

Among United’s players only Romelu Lukaku has scored more times this term than Lingard, who managed just a single goal in the Premier League last campaign but has flourished over the past five weeks.

Jesse Lingard and Romelu Lukaku
Jesse Lingard (left) and Romelu Lukaku (right) are Manchester United’s leading scorers this season (Tim Goode/Empics)

His unstoppable attempt against the Toffees, which was blasted beyond Jordan Pickford, was indicative of a man brimming with confidence and colleague Herrera wants Lingard to carry on trying his luck.

“It’s fantastic – when you are like that he has to keep trying to shoot, shoot, shoot,” the Spaniard said.

“I am not in that moment! I shot three times and I didn’t score but I will keep looking for that moment.

Walking into 2018 like… 👏🔴 @JesseLingard #MUFC

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“Jesse has it now. He has to keep trying to shoot but the movements he does for the team are also amazing.

“He’s very quick at the moment as well. No one can catch him. We are happy for him.

“He wants to improve, he wants to be a fantastic player. You can see in every training session and he’s showing it in the games.”

Ander Herrera and Jesse Lingard
Ander Herrera (left) has been impressed by the form of Manchester United team-mate Jesse Lingard (right) this season. (Tim Goode/Empics)

Herrera was also impressed by the United players able to thrive in unfamiliar positions at Goodison Park, where a 2-0 victory for the visitors ended a four-game winless streak over the Christmas period.

Without injured pair Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Anthony Martial was switched inside from his usual wing position while central defender Victor Lindelof filled in at right-back.

“I think Anthony was fantastic as well,” Herrera added.

“He hasn’t played as a striker for a long time and he did fantastic. Juan (Mata), also as a midfielder coming to help us, Victor, out of position, did amazing. They are very good things we can take out of the game.”

Anthony Martial
Anthony Martial scored Manchester United’s opening goal in their 2-0 win over Everton (Anthony Devlin/Empics)

The victory moved United back into second, although the gap to leaders Manchester City remains enormous.

Yet Herrera is concerned with ensuring United maintain their spot as City’s nearest challengers as fourth-placed Liverpool, who are now unbeaten in 16 games, and Chelsea are also firmly in the hunt.

“I think we played a fantastic game and we can be very happy,” Herrera said of the Everton performance.

“This is the way we have to face every game, it’s going to be a very tough battle to try to keep the second place. We will go for it.”