A little over a year ago, Kobbie Mainoo stood on the Wembley field wearing his Manchester United uniform, attempting to soak in the moment. At this time, he had only played three games for the first team and was not selected for the Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle. However, during the post-game celebrations, Erik ten Hag made a point to seek him out for a conversation, which was significant. This was a 17-year-old midfielder who was only on the outskirts of the senior squad at the time. As Ten Hag celebrated winning his first trophy as United manager, he approached the Stockport-born academy graduate and exchanged a few words with him. The Dutchman was impressed by Mainoo’s talent from the first moment they met, and in their brief conversation, he may have hinted that there would be more successful days ahead. However, neither of them expected things to progress so rapidly. Mainoo made his 24th senior appearance for England against Brazil, marking his debut at Wembley Stadium. This season has seen a rapid and impressive growth. An article suggests that selling Greenwood could help address United’s issue with Sancho and create their ideal attacking lineup. I received a red card while playing for Manchester United and my life fell apart. Gareth Southgate likened Mainoo’s 15-minute appearance against Brazil as an opportunity for him to get a taste of international football. Mainoo was added to the squad earlier in the week due to Jordan Henderson’s injury sustained while playing for Ajax.
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