Ex-Man Utd star Jesse Lingard earns special praise from Corinthians boss after 'best game' at high altitude in Copa Libertadores

Lingard delivered one of his most encouraging performances since joining Corinthians as the English midfielder completed his first full 90 minutes for the club in Wednesday’s clash against Independiente Santa Fe in Bogota.

The 31-year-old remained on the pitch for the entire contest as Corinthians earned a 1-1 draw, despite the demanding conditions of the Colombian capital, which sits approximately 2,640 metres above sea level. For a player still working his way back to full rhythm, the performance marked an important step in his adaptation to South American football.

Corinthians manager Diniz was full of praise for Lingard’s display during his post-match press conference, highlighting the English midfielder’s impressive physical response in demanding conditions.

In comments highlighted by Bolavip, the Brazilian coach said: “Jesse made one of his best matches today. If you consider the difficulty of the game, maybe it was his best game. Against Peñarol he was good, but the team was very inspired. He finished the game well; he still had gas.”

Diniz was also keen to credit the club's backroom staff for ensuring Lingard was prepared for such a demanding fixture. Despite the risks of repeating the same starting lineup shortly after a domestic fixture and a long-haul flight, the data supported the English star's inclusion for the full 90 minutes.

He added: "When something happens, some uninformed person comes along and says, Ah, but he repeated the team. The physiology, performance and medical department is great; it gathers the best number of elements possible to make the best decisions." This calculated approach appears to be paying dividends as Lingard begins to integrate more fully into the Alvinegro squad.

Since arriving at Corinthians, Lingard has made 11 appearances and scored two goals for the Brazilian side, with the match in Bogota marking only his fifth start for the club.

Having now shown he can handle a full match in difficult conditions, the former Manchester United midfielder is expected to be in contention for another starting role when Corinthians face rivals Sao Paulo FC on Sunday at the Neo Química Arena in the Brazilian Serie A.