Even if Manchester United has been fumbling since the start of the season, Kobbie Mainoo shines in the Red Devils' midfield. Favorite of the supporters and of Erik Ten Hag, his coach, the young 18-year-old player has been gaining momentum for several weeks.
As since the arrival of Erik Ten Hag, Manchester United cannot be a credible contender for the Premier League title . Currently seventh in the English elite , the Red Devils alternate between the good and the less good but fail to find the right consistency. However, 2024 could be the great year for England's most successful club. Undefeated for the moment, the Batavian technician's flock could move forward after a checkered first part of the season.
This renewed form also comes after a major change in the tactics of the Mancunian club. Indeed, for several weeks, Kobbie Mainoo has established himself in the midfield of the residents of Old Trafford. Author of 8 appearances in the Premier League, the England under-19 international had taken advantage of numerous injuries to get playing time. However, despite the returns in the Red Devils' midfield, Mainoo remains and comes out of three starts right now.
Everyone is under the spell of Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United
Still in the eleven against Wolverhampton in the middle of the week, the Stockport native was the hero of the match by giving his team victory at the very end of the match (3-4). His first goal in the Premier League after scoring for the first time in the tunic of his training club last weekend in the FA Cup against Newport (4-2). Interviewed after the match against Wolves, Mainoo said he was living a waking dream at the moment: “it’s a dream come true. It's really hard to win here. I haven't come back yet, I still feel like I'm dreaming. Starting to play in the Premier League for my boyhood club was amazing. I'm just trying to get through the matches and win more."
QUELLE FIN DE MATCH 😱
— CANAL+ Foot (@CanalplusFoot) February 1, 2024
Le jeune Kobbie Mainoo offre la victoire à Manchester United juste après l'égalisation de Pedro Neto 🔥#WOLMUN | #PremierLeague pic.twitter.com/OppDXPdKHS
Internally, the young midfielder is already unanimous. While several players have been taken aback by Ten Hag in recent seasons, the right-hander seems to be favored by the Dutch technician: “ Mainoo is everything a modern midfielder should be. It's wonderful to see and I hope he stays calm as he is, as he showed with his goal. He's determined, he's a good guy, and I hope he continues like that. It is certain that he (Mainoo) has qualities that remind me of certain players. You can always learn from other players. But for me it's always important that players find their own identity, and so that's what I try to do, that he finds his own identity with his qualities. We challenge him every day to reach higher levels, and he has taken it very well. I think it's a very good thing for a young 18-year-old player. »
Under contract until 2027 with Manchester United, the number 37 of the Red Devils should still send shivers down the aisles of Old Trafford for a long time. Like Warren Zaire-Emery in France, England could have their midfield gem for the next decade. In the meantime, the Three Lions will first have to beat the fierce competition from Ghana who have launched the major maneuvers according to information from the Times . One thing is certain: Kobbie Mainoo seems indeed destined for the very highest level and continues to show it.