Man Utd teenager reveals Man City idol as he insists FA Cup final win didn’t make season ‘success’

Kobbie Mainoo has taken the world by storm since making his first Premier League start against Everton at Goodison Park last year.

Since living up to the hype in his first year in the sport, Mainoo finished last season playing and winning the FA Cup final with Manchester Unitedand also played a key role in England’s runner-up finish at the European Championships in Germany.

While in camp, Mainoo built a good partnership with fellow Mancunian, Cole Palmer, with the pair becoming quite competitive in the time away from the field.

Speaking to British GQ, Palmer claimed: “I’m better at table tennis, he’s better at padel,” to which Mainoo replied: “You won’t believe that. Table tennis!?”

Padel became quite popular at the English base in Blankenheim in Germany, with Phil Foden and Adam Wharton also becoming involved in the duo.

On the pitch, Mainoo offers something different to his compatriots, with qualities we have not often seen in English midfielders in recent years.

“I like watching Busquets, the way he used to play. Players like Seedorf, Modric. Players like Yaya Toure – I like the way he used to play,” he said.

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Mainoo’s most impressive attribute is his resistance to pressure and his ability to hold the ball. When in possession he rarely makes the wrong decisions.

He is seen as someone who plays quite loosely. He said:I don’t think about it too much. It’s more of a moment thing. For example, if I check, I see a man here, then I go this way. Or if I don’t have to do that, I can just pop out. I don’t think I’m going to turn here… it’s more that if the defender gives me an option, I take it.’

United have a long-standing relationship with youth players, with 250 academy graduates making their debuts for the first team, dating back to 1937. Since October that year, United have had an academy graduate in the matchday squad.

Mainoo believes United’s emphasis on youth has given him this opportunity.

He said:I feel like United has a very strong history of playing young players, going all the way back to the Busby Babes. There’s a big sign on the wall (at Carrington) that says, “If they’re good enough, they’re old enough.”

Mainoo’s biggest success of his career to date has been the FA Cup final, where United beat the odds to beat city rivals Manchester City at Wembley in May.

About the triumph, Mainoo recalls: “I remember the feeling around it was: no one expects us to win. They just wrote us off. I used that as motivation.”

“I won’t say it made the season a success for us as a team, but we definitely needed it. We couldn’t go into the summer with nothing and just end up where we finished in the rankings. A trophy brings hope. But it certainly did not make the season a success.”

In the end, Mainoo was perhaps relieved when Erik ten Hag left Old Traffordwith the Dutchman claiming he had been a major success in his time at the club after winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in successive seasons.