Manchester United prospect Kobbie Mainoo has been tipped as a star of the future following a hugely impressive performance against League Two outfit Carlisle.
The 17-year-old midfielder, known for his excellent vision and technical ability in the middle of the park, played a crucial role in United's hard fought 2-1 win in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night.
Goals from Charlie McNeill and Omari Forson sealed a confidence-building win for Travis Binnion's U21 side, but it was Mainoo's Man of the Match performance that got people talking on social media.
Advert
You can understand why after watching a compilation of his highlights. Check them out below.
Mainoo, who is capped at England U17 level, has been training with United's first team squad in recent weeks alongside Dan Gore, Isak Hansen-Aaroen and Omari Forson, according to the Manchester Evening News.
After impressing at youth level, Erik ten Hag clearly feels Mainoo has done enough to 'frequently' train with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford.
Advert
And judging by Tuesday night's outing against a Carlisle side that included a number of first-team regulars, the 17-year-old has a good chance of making an impression in the coming months.
Here's how social media reacted to Mainoo's performance against Paul Simpson's side.
One fan said: "I can watch 17-yr-old Kobbie Mainoo's compilations all day. Manchester United have a player on their hands," while another commented: "Investing in Kobbie Mainoo stocks now."
Advert
A third wrote: "I watched Kobbie Mainoo vs Carlisle United yesterday. Ten Haag has to include him in the first team. This is not a joke. He’s a baller. All he needs is the physical strength and forget Frenkie De Jong. He can do the job simple."
Mainoo has certainly made an impression in the past year with several coming of age performances. He scored twice in United’s run to the 2022 FA Youth Cup final, and starred in April's Adidas Generation Cup.
Advert
United'a academy coach Travis Binnion opened up about Erik ten Hag's influence on the younger players following Tuesday's win against Carlisle.
"Most of those boys have experienced first-team training in the last few weeks," he told The Mirror.
"The manager’s got a track record of putting players in as long as they’re good enough and this football club has, too. The boys have got to continue putting in performances like that.
"It’s no good just playing well once, we’ve got to put performances together and make sure our development of the individuals keeps continuing and they learn about the game, and tonight’s a step in the right direction.”
Advert
For good measure, here's another compilation of Mainoo in action. He looks the real deal.
Topics: Manchester United, League Two, EFL Cup
