BritishThe confidence and performance in the win over Everton in round 13 of the Premier League was like the perfect introduction to Mainoo, a player who also plays for the Man Utd youth team this season.
Mainoo (red shirt) dribbles the ball during Man Utd's 3-0 win over Everton in round 13 of the Premier League on November 26, at Goodison Park. Image: PA
After his first start in the Premier League on November 26, Mainoo received countless compliments. Former football player Gary Neville said that the 11-year-old midfielder is the type of player that Pep Guardiola, one of the best coaches in football history, wants to have. Even Roy Keane, former captain of Man Utd, who is famous for being tough with young players, had to praise him.
“It's unbelievable,” Keane said on the channel Sky Sports on November 26. “He always controls the ball and makes decisions when to play the ball long and when to play the ball short. When he doesn't have the ball, he also performs well. What a comprehensive performance.”
Mainoo joined Man Utd at the age of nine, after getting acquainted with football at grassroots club Cheadle & Gatley. After that, he rose through the ranks to become one of the most promising talents of the "Red Devils". In the summer of 2022, while playing for Man Utd U21 team, Mainoo began to attract attention. BBC commentator Jonny Crowther said that the 18-year-old star is on a different level than the other players.
When joining Man Utd U21 to participate in the 2022-2023 EFL Trophy, a tournament for low-ranking clubs and youth teams of big clubs, Mainoo also impressed. A fan then wrote on social network X: “I could watch Mainoo's moves all day. Invest in him now."
Another fan advised coach Erik Ten Hag to bring Mainoo to the first team. This person believes that all Mainoo needs is to improve his physical fitness and that Ten Hag should forget Frenkie De Jong, a long-pursued goal but unable to buy it.
Mainoo (second from right) won the 2021-2022 FA Youth Cup with the Man Utd youth team. Image: Man Utd
The excitement surrounding Mainoo has caught the attention of Ten Hag, who discovered many young players when he was in charge of Ajax. In January 1, in the win over Charlton Athletic in the League Cup, he let the teenage midfielder play for the first team for the first time. Next, Mainoo came on as a substitute in the win over Reading in the FA Cup and the win over Leicester City in the Premier League.
Ten Hag affirmed that he did not call Mainoo to the first team to have enough troops. He wants to give opportunities to young players and discover more stars for the first team. “Young players are here to perform and contribute to the team's success,” Ten Hag added.
During the 2023-2024 pre-season, Mainoo suffered an ankle injury. However, this incident could not stop him from continuing to improve. After playing one match for the youth team this season, Mainoo was promoted to the first team. And in his first starting match in the Premier League, the 18-year-old star shined helping Man Utd win 3-0 at Everton's Goodison Park.
According to the sheet Sun, with Casemiro possibly leaving Man Utd next summer and failing in his pursuit of De Jong, Mainoo is a suitable option to complete the midfield. Many people believe that Mainoo is an upgraded version of Paul Pogba, the player who won the 2018 World Cup with France but always played erratically at Man Utd.
Thanh Quy (follow Sun, Sky Sports)
