Speaking to Goal, Nigeria legend Garba Lawal has warned Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo of the “massive” task he faces at the club.
What did he say?
The former Watford man joined the Red Devils on deadline day on a loan deal until the end of the season from Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua.
And whilst Lawal – who played 54 times for Nigeria and won the Olympic gold medal in 1996 – backed his international compatriot to deliver on expectations at Old Trafford, he issued a word of warning as to the kind of pressures he will now be under.
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He said: “I want to say congratulation to him and there will be more challenges for him now week-in week-out because Manchester United is not Watford. The expectation from Manchester United will be much higher than Watford. It will be massive. It’s not going to be easy.
“He has to prepare very well. The club will be expecting 100% from him which I believe he is capable of doing. I don’t think he will have a problem to settle quickly in the Premier League because he is a professional and has experience playing in England.”
Immediate impact
Having played Premier League football in his time with Watford – he notched 17 goals in 55 games in the competition – Ighalo should be able to hit the ground running at Old Trafford.
Of course, as Lawal alludes to, the big difference will be the kind of pressure he will be under. It’s one thing scoring the goals for Watford, and another to be doing the business for the Red Devils.
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If he can keep his cool and composure, then there is no reason why Ighalo cannot go on to enjoy a relatively successful loan spell at the club. Confidence is key, and if he can get off the mark early in his United career, then that could set him up perfectly for the rest of the campaign.
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