That is the verdict of pundit and former Liverpool man Stan Collymore.
Lingard has been in red-hot form of late, proving his worth in a competitive United side.
The attacking midfielder has netted three times in his last two games.
And ahead of this weekend's Manchester derby, Collymore has made the bold claim about the United youngster.
"Never did I think I’d put Jesse Lingard in the same bracket as Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane," he told the Daily Mirror.
"But if De Bruyne and Sane are the men most likely to make the difference for Manchester City this afternoon, then Lingard can be that man for Manchester United.
The 10 Premier League stars who now earn less than Jesse Lingard
GETTY
“No-one should underestimate the impact a local lad can have in a derby”
Stan Collymore
"No-one should underestimate the impact a local lad can have in a derby.
"They can make you sink or swim.
"Think of the importance over the years of Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard for Liverpool, John Terry for Chelsea, and Sol Campbell for Tottenham and Arsenal."
The majority of football fans are wondering just how United boss Jose Mourinho will set up his side at Old Trafford this afternoon.
Getty
Getty
And Collymore also admitted to the Daily Mirror he is stumped as to how the Portuguese will approach the must-win tie.
"Mourinho’s game-plan today will be fascinating," he added.
"He could say: ‘Let’s go toe to toe with them, let’s see what they have got,’ but I’m not sure he will.
"More likely, he will be pragmatic and try to defend deep against Pep Guardiola’s bold, attacking City line-up.
"With the calibre of players he has at his disposal, Mourinho will surely plan to catch table-topping City on the break."
The derby gets underway at 4.30pm.