Gary Neville names his biggest Kobbie Mainoo concern despite midfielder’s brilliant performances

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Gary Neville has named his biggest concern about Kobbie Mainoo, despite the superb performances of the Manchester United midfielder.

Erik ten Hag brought Kobbie Mainoo into the first team this season and the 18-year-old has been one of the club’s best players in the engine room this campaign.

Mainoo scored a stunning solo goal to win a bizarre game at Molineux Stadium in a dramatic 4-3 victory over Wolves with a last-minute winner.

He has been consistently brilliant for the Red Devils this season with his performances in the middle of the park drawing praise from Roy Keane this campaign.

Neville on Mainoo

Despite his brilliant performances for the Red Devils, Gary Neville has issued a warning for the teenage midfielder and has expressed concern about the leaders around him.

“It’s a massive factor, the dressing room that you come into as a young player and the influence and standard bearers in the dressing room,” Neville said on the Stick to Football podcast.

“These [Manchester] United lads who have come through in the last five to eight years, if you’re a young lad coming through at Liverpool and Manchester City you’ve got a good chance. Whereas if you’re at United now, you’re thinking, who’s guiding that dressing room?”

Keane agreed with this sentiment and has stated how impressed he was with the current leaders of the team: “I loved the dressing room. I thought all these players were brilliant professionals, and I looked around and thought what a great group of people. Players like Bryan Robson, Ryan Giggs and Lee Sharpe, all amazing professional players.”

United’s current leaders

Ironically, the leaders in the United dressing room may well be on their way out of the club this summer. Casemiro and Raphael Varane have both been linked with exits.

Ten Hag is keen on recruiting a new centre-back and a new defensive midfield option in the summer and both of these experienced stars have been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League.

There are five or six exciting academy products that are breaking through or impressing in the academy set up and United need to ensure there are some experienced leaders in the mix who can guide them.