02 February 2024 , 00:06
1205
0
Rio Ferdinand has compared Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo to AC Milan legend Clarence Seedorf after his winner against Wolves.
Mainoo produced a stunning piece of skill and composure to net a 97th-minute winner for United at Molineux on Thursday night. Pedro Neto appeared to have earned Wolves a point when he netted in the 95th minute, but Mainoo found the bottom corner two minutes later in an entertaining 4-3 win.
It was the young midfielder’s second goal for United in four days after he also scored in the 4-2 win over Newport County in the FA Cup. Former United defender Ferdinand was full of praise for Mainoo while analysing his winning goal.
“I’m not saying he’s of the same ability, or that he’s that player yet, but he gives me vibes of Clarence Seedorf,” he said on TNT Sports. “The way he manoeuvres in tight situations and the way he manipulates this ball and uses his body at times.
“He shifts it, pops it through [Max] Kilman’s legs – beautiful. He’s elusive at times as well and the control and the awareness to pick his spot. Some players see the headlines there and the back pages and think ‘I’m going to go for it’. But he just caresses it.”
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
Mainoo’s winner came after a seesawing match in which United had raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to Marcus Rashford ’s curling finish and Rasmus Hojlund’s bundled effort at the near post. Pablo Sarabia’s penalty was then cancelled out by Scott McTominay’s header before a grandstand finish.
Kobbie Mainoo won it late on for Manchester United (James Gill/Getty Images)Kilman scored from a set piece before Neto scored on the counter-attack to make it 3-3 and set the stage for Mainoo. "It's a dream come true. It's such a tough place to come,” he said. “They've had such a good home run here, so we had to get the win. I've still not come down from it. I still feel like I'm dreaming to be honest.
"To start playing in the Premier League for my boyhood club, it's been amazing and I'm now just trying to get a good run of games in, win more and more games and get real momentum going."
Hojlund was impressed by the youngster. “I didn’t get to see him in pre-season because I wasn’t there, but all of the lads were talking about him and saying he is a generational talent,” he said. “He has a nice body type, he is very mature and has a good personality as well.
"He’s very calm, and outside the pitch he’s a nice, relaxed guy. You can see he’s composed and shows his quality, and he showed it again tonight - he’s an incredible talent. He’s only 18 years old, and I thought I was young.
Bruno Fernandes said: "He's a big talent. I've said it in the past – I've seen him play for the under-18s two or three years ago and I said to a friend who was in Manchester who wanted to see some youth games, I said the name of Kobbie, without knowing he was going to be this talented and this player. The talent was there. But he's better as a kid than a player. He will be in the future equally."