Kobe MAINOO’s first game in the Premier League for Manchester United could not have gone better.
After his first game against Everton, Gary Neville said good things about the 18-year-old and said Pep Guardiola would want him on his team.
Not even hard-to-please In his Sky Sports post-game review, Roy Keane went on and on about the teenage star player.
Keane said, “Unbelievable. I don’t want to get too excited, but I’m sure we will.”
He always looked like he had time to think about the ball and decide when to go long or short. They did a great job off the ball as well.
“I know that the club has high hopes for him.” The game today at Everton will be important for the boss to decide whether to put him in. He has to trust him, of course.
“Listen up, kid, good luck. The man was great. He’s off to a great start. Because he looked like a Man United player today, let’s hope he stays healthy and plays a lot for them. It was fun to watch him because he was nice and brave.
An ankle injury in training looked like it would slow him down this season, but he is now back on track after a great game in the pressure cooker at Goodison Park.
His ability to clear the ball off the line showed that he is also good at defense.
In January, Mainoo played in his first game in a real game, an EFL Cup win over Charlton.
Soon after, he came on as a substitute in a 3-1 FA Cup win over Reading. He then came on again late in a league win over Leicester City.
But behind the scenes at Carrington, more and more people think the bright kid could be the midfield’s heartbeat for years to come.
The young player from Stockport was an important part of last year’s FA Youth Cup-winning team, and in May 2022, he was given his first professional deal.
He has kept getting better for the Red Devils’ Under-18 and Under-21 teams, which has impressed Erik ten Hag, who wants to play him more with the first team.
Been a member of the club for nine years
The first football team Mainoo played for was the Cheadle & Gatley Junior Football Club.
United noticed him when he was nine years old, and he worked his way up through the youth ranks to become one of their best talents.
People who were at United in the summer of 2022 saw the player play against Altrincham.
He was called “different class” by BBC Manchester’s Jonny Crowther.
Fans went crazy for him during a wild game against Carlisle in the EFL Trophy last season.
His ability to see ahead, predict, and tackle really stood out.
“I can watch Kobbie Mainoo’s compilations all day,” wrote one fan. “Man Utd have a player on their hands,” said one, while “Investing in Kobbie Mainoo stocks now,” said another.
“I watched Kobbie Mainoo play against Carlisle United yesterday,” said a third. Ten Hag needs to put him on the first team. It’s not a joke.
“He’s cool.” He only needs to be strong, so forget about Frenkie De Jong. The job is easy for him to do.
Ten Hag has heard
Thanks to all the buzz about Mainoo, Ten Hag, who is known for giving young players a chance at Ajax, has taken a better look at the player.
He is now a regular at practices with the first team.
When the team played Newcastle last season, it was the first time the teenager was named in a full group.
Ten Hag also said that Mainoo, who has played for England’s Under-18 team, wasn’t just there to put on a show.
The Dutch manager told the club’s website, “It’s not experience; they [the young players] have to carry it.”
“You are here to contribute to the team, to the team’s success, and that is why he is here.”
Casemiro is rumored to be leaving United, and they were not able to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona. Mainoo could be the player they need to fill the center gap they’ve had since Paul Pogba left.
Even better, he might become a club hero, which is what many people thought the Frenchman would do.
