Micah Richards has dropped his verdict on the midfield display that he saw from England star Kobbie Mainoo in Manchester United’s encounter with Liverpool.
Kobbie Mainoo completed the full 90 minutes on Sunday afternoon alongside Casemiro in the two-man Manchester United midfield pivot under Michael Carrick.
The 21-year-old Stockport-born talent came to United’s rescue deep against Liverpool in the second half after the Red Devils slipped up on their lead.
United and Liverpool were level at 2-2 before Mainoo stepped up in the 77th minute and netted a superb long-range effort past Freddie Woodman at Old Trafford.
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Micah Richards’ assessment of Kobbie Mainoo’s impact for Man Utd against Liverpool at Old Trafford
Kobbie Mainoo was the difference-maker between the two sides at the weekend after Manchester United walked away with all three points on Sunday afternoon.
The England international has been able to re-establish himself as a key influence in the Manchester United first-team squad at Old Trafford in recent months.
Speaking on Mainoo, Micah Richards said on The Rest Is Football podcast: “Yeah, I would agree. Just moving on to Mainoo. I think in terms of his resilience, let’s not forget, Mainoo’s just a young lad.
“And that part of your career where a manager’s not playing and you can go the other way, that self-doubt comes in.
“You start sort of questioning everything that you’re doing, i.e., being professional outside of work, all the things that we go through as young professionals.
But for him to come in, and then don’t remember when he got a game and everyone was saying, ‘Oh, Mainoo’s, he’s got to play well today.’ He played well.”
Richards felt that Mainoo produced a “seven-and-a-half” performance for Man Utd and added that England star is continuing to see confidence surge once again.
“I wouldn’t say he was outstanding, but he played well, seven and a half out of 10,” he continued.
“And he’s slowly but surely just grown in confidence and now is a mainstay in the team.”
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Gary Lineker praises Kobbie Mainoo’s career revival after Man Utd’s 3-2 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford
Mainoo had been left fighting for United first-team minutes at Old Trafford earlier in the 2025-26 campaign after falling down the pecking order under Ruben Amorim.
However, Michael Carrick’s return to United breathed new life into Mainoo and Gary Lineker was full of high praise for the England and Red Devils midfielder.
“Talk about another player, Myles [Lewis] Skelly, we talked about already as a player that last season, we were all said he’s going to be an England regular and so and so,” he said.
“Kobbie Mainoo, I thought [he] was the star of this game. I am absolutely bewildered by the fact that he didn’t get a look-in under the previous incumbent. It’s incredible.
“I mean, what, what, I don’t get it at all. And even whatever system you play or anything like that, how can you not see how good that kid is?”
Mainoo inked a new deal with Man Utd last week and committed his long-term future to the club after his turnaround in form for the Red Devils since January.
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