Roy Keane says Kobbie Mainoo reminds him of one former Man Utd teammate

Roy Keane has paid Kobbie Mainoo a huge compliment by admitting the youngster reminds him of a former Manchester United teammate.

Mainoo has made a huge impression at Old Trafford this season, establishing himself as a regular fixture in Erik ten Hag's side.

The 18-year-old has impressed so much that Gareth Southgate performed a U-turn and included him in his England squad for upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.

Having made 20 senior appearances this season, Mainoo looks to have a bright future ahead of him at United.

Former Red Devils midfielder Roy Keane certainly seems to think so, and he went as far as to compare the youngster to one of his former United teammates.

"I’d say that Kobbie Mainoo compares more to Nicky Butt than Paul Scholes, but that’s because Scholes played further forward when he first joined Manchester United," Keane said on the Stick to Football podcast, produced by Sky Bet.

"What makes these young players successful is their personalities and their temperament, so I would put Mainoo on par with Butt and Scholes in their first three months at the club.

"It’s all about how players settle into the first team and how they cope with the challenges, playing at Old Trafford, but from what I’ve seen, Mainoo looks great, but he’s got lots to learn in that position."

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That's high praise from keane, especially when you consider what Butt achieved during his career.

The midfielder was a member of United's famous class of '92 alongside Gary and Phil Neville, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes that went on to dominate English football and win the treble in 1999.

Butt spent 12 years in the United first team before spending a further six with Newcastle United.

On the international stage he earned 39 caps for England and was part of the Three Lions squad at the 2002 World Cup.

Roy Keane was speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.

Topics: Manchester United, Kobbie Mainoo, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, England, Premier League, Gareth Southgate

Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton is a Sports Trends Writer at SPORTbible. He has previously worked with publications including the Manchester Evening News, GOAL and BBC Sport. He is a football fanatic, but also dabbles in tennis and American football. He enjoys running, cooking and watching non-league football.

@alex_brotherton