Not Casemiro or Fernandes: Carrick blown away by 71-touch Man Utd star after Fulham thriller
Manchester United beat Fulham 3-2 in extraordinary fashion, courtesy of a stoppage-time strike from Benjamin Sesko.
The Red Devils looked on their way to a comfortable 2-0 victory before Fulham mounted a late comeback.
When United needed a moment of magic, club captain Bruno Fernandes delivered, conjuring a chance out of nothing for Sesko, who showed superb composure to control the ball before rifling it past the Fulham goalkeeper.
Casemiro and Matheus Cunha played pivotal roles in United’s third straight victory but contributions from Kobbie Mainoo should not go unnoticed.
The 20-year-old produced a commanding display on his third consecutive Premier League start.
Learning from the best
Caretaker head coach Michael Carrick was quick to single out the United academy graduate for special praise after the final whistle.
He said (via ManUtd.com) : “Yeah, I think Kobbie’s performance was very, very good today in so many ways again.
“I thought he’s done terrific in that (without the ball). And then with the ball, I’ve spoke about it before, about the ability to just cope, he’s not really fazed by it. He plays his game and he understands what’s needed, it’s the moments of quality.”
Mainoo could hardly ask for a better mentor than Carrick, one of the most elegant and intelligent holding midfielders of his generation.
The England international was everywhere, registering 71 touches, completing 86% of his passes and winning six of his eight duels.
It was particularly encouraging to see Mainoo regularly switching play with long passes.
That element has not always been a feature of his game, but it now looks like a new weapon he is adding to his midfield arsenal.
It represents a significant step forward in his development as he continues to evolve into a complete midfielder.
Young Mainoo has sky-high potential
Carrick was also keen to remind everyone just how young Mainoo still is, urging patience as expectations continue to rise.
The midfielder endured a challenging first half of the season, but he now finally has a manager who clearly trusts and believes in him.
Carrick added: “It’s what we come to expect from him in many ways and what I come to expect, but you forget how young he is still.
“He’s still got loads to come, but seeing him today and playing with that kind of confidence and a belief is a real joy to watch to be honest, for any young player.”
Mainoo has now completed all 270 minutes under the new head coach, highlighting the faith Carrick has already placed in him.
He is expected to start again next weekend when United take on Tottenham Hotspur.
That clash will offer the perfect opportunity for United to seek revenge for their painful UEFA Europa League final defeat.
Stats from Sofascore.com
Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .