Kobbie Mainoo has broken a record for Manchester United after he was handed a start against Liverpool by Erik ten Hag.
Erik ten Hag gave 18-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo a rare start for Manchester United against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool at Anfield and the teenager performed admirably.
In a midfield trio with Scott McTominay and Sofyan Amrabat, Mainoo stood out and it was his superb through ball to Alejandro Garnacho that nearly allowed the Argentine forward to win the game for the Red Devils.
Mainoo has started four games for the Red Devils this season and has looked United’s best midfielder in nearly all of these games.
Mainoo’s record
Well, the teenage midfielder broke another record yesterday when it was announced he was starting the game.
Mainoo, according to the United website, has become the youngest player to ever feature for the Red Devils in a Premier League fixture against Liverpool.
The 18-year-old was calm and composed in a hostile atmosphere and, apart from one mistimed sliding challenge in the first half, he barely put a foot wrong.
Mainoo was one of six Academy graduates who played some part against Liverpool, with Garnacho and Jonny Evans also starting the game, and impressing, while McTominay captained the Reds for the first time in the league.
Mainoo one for the future
The midfielder is clearly a man for the future at Old Trafford but the Englishman has really exploded onto the scene in recent weeks and it is getting to the point that Erik ten Hag almost can’t ignore him.
Mainoo’s composure and maturity in the middle of the park set him apart from any other midfielder in the United team. Even captain Scott McTominay failed to show the composure and maturity that the teenager did at Anfield, he was on another level.
He has to start week in and week out for the Red Devils and he could be the catalyst to better things for Ten Hag and indeed for United who have suffered 12 defeats this season.
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