18 December 2023 , 06:00
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When fourth official Anthony Taylor put his number up in lights less than ten minutes before the end of regulation time, it would have been understandable had Kobbie Mainoo wasted a few seconds and dawdled from the field.
Instead, the 18-year-old dashed to the bench, giving the Manchester United fans a double-armed sign of encouragement. Mainoo was not for running down the clock - he was urging his team-mates to go and somehow snatch an unlikely win.
If a few of Mainoo’s senior colleagues shared his positivity, shared his calmness, shared his diligence, Erik ten Hag’s position would not be precarious. On his full Premier League debut less than a mile away at Everton, Mainoo introduced himself as a serious teenage talent. On the other side of Stanley Park, three weeks later, Mainoo confirmed himself as a serious teenage talent.
If you are into your statistics, Mainoo enjoyed 89 percent pass accuracy, won four ground duels, completed two out of two long balls, won two tackles and made one interception and one clearance.
But you do not need statistics to tell you Mainoo is the future of Man United. He just looks a player, always having the extra moment of time that quality players - particularly quality midfield players - have.
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In his first game at Anfield, he was remarkably unflustered but not shy when it came to the physical confrontation that once characterised these fixtures, hence his first half booking. From the albeit limited evidence we have seen, Mainoo has outstanding defensive awareness but there is also an attacking instinct waiting to kick in.
His pass to set up a chance for Alejandro Garnacho in the second half was a rare moment of elite quality amongst the drudgery. And boy, do United and Ten Hag need a few more moments of elite quality.
Kobbie Mainoo in action against Liverpool (AP Photo/Jon Super)
The youngster gave a classy midfield display (ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)For the neutrals, there are fewer expectations on this United team. They have not been a great watch for some considerable time but it still jars to see United so consistently fail to get on the front foot, particularly against this sort of marquee opposition. Thirty-one percent possession and one shot on target is not just woeful, it is also standard for Ten Hag’s men.
When Rasmus Hojlund - no goals in 13 Premier League appearances - smacked that one shot on target into Alisson’s chest, it was probably out of shock at actually being presented with a chance. Even when United did have counter-attacking opportunities, there seemed to be precious little communication between the three attacking players.
Garnacho, Hojlund and Antony continue to perform like three individuals rather than an attacking unit. You have to go down as far as 15th, and Crystal Palace, to find a Premier League team that has scored fewer than United’s 18 goals this season. You have to go down as far as 13th, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, to find a Premier League team that has a worse goal difference than United minus three.
Erik ten Hag gives instructions from the technical area during Liverpool v Manchester United (Paul Currie/REX/Shutterstock)Yes, in addition to Mainoo’s continuing emergence, there were positives to take from this backs-to-the-wall United performance. Luke Shaw was very good, the makeshift Jonny Evans-Raphael Varane central defensive partnership did well.
It was, though, still pretty painful viewing at times.
But, at a club such as United that prides itself on bringing through its own young talent, there are always signs of a bright future.
And no-one is shining brighter than Kobbie Mainoo.