Steve Cooper insists Jesse Lingard remains "determined" to play his part in helping Nottingham Forest avoid relegation this season.
The 30-year-old has struggled in his first season at the City Ground, which has been hampered by a niggling injury. Lingard has been in and out Cooper's squad since January, missing a total of eight games so far.
He has featured just three times since the turn of the year and is yet to score a goal or make an assist in that time. However, Cooper believes the persistent setbacks will not impact the midfielder's loyalty to the Forest cause as they prepare to face his old side Manchester United this afternoon (4:30pm).
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"Like everybody, he’s giving everything to be in a position where he wants to contribute," Cooper said. "Jesse is as determined as anybody else in the group.
"He’s had a bit of a tough time and he’s missed some games through injuries that haven’t been long-term injuries but have just not allowed him to be available for games. Against Manchester United, he’d love to be involved and even more than that contribute in a really, really positive way.
"But the most important thing at the moment is the greater good of the team and what we’re trying to do. Any individual situation around that is not as important as the collective. There’s such a strong togetherness and culture at the club. We’re all frustrated with recent results but determined and motivated because there’s still so much to achieve and so much can be done."
On facing United, Cooper added: "Results have not been anywhere near what we would have hoped, wanted and needed to be and that for me is the be-all and end-all.
"To get a good result you need to take risks, to have a way of thinking you can hurt Manchester United, we’ve got to really see that with the players and get them to buy into it. They have ownership of it as well and deliver on a matchday. I’ve liked the preparation so far but it only means something if we can take it into Sunday."
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