Carrick now has a new undroppable star at Man United, he is a 'joy to watch'

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has lavished huge praise on youngster Kobbie Mainoo.

Mainoo did not start a single Premier League game under former manager Ruben Amorim this season.

Carrick has taken a bold and contrasting approach, placing Mainoo at the heart of his plans from day one.

The caretaker head coach has led his side in two statement wins, with Mainoo playing all 180 minutes.

Carrick has openly explained why he believes Mainoo is a rare talent who has all the tools to develop into a complete, elite midfielder.

He said (via Sky Sports): “He takes the ball, he drifts, he can play, he can play a little bit deeper at times, he can play a little bit higher up, depending on who he’s playing with I think sometimes we can pigeonhole players in certain things quite quickly.”

The head coach has deployed a midfield partnership of Casemiro and Mainoo in both games.

While Casemiro often drops between the centre-backs to dictate from deep, Mainoo is given the freedom to float, receive on the half-turn and drive United forward.

That dynamic was on full display against Arsenal, as Mainoo linked brilliantly with Bruno Fernandes before nutmegging Declan Rice and teeing up Matheus Cunha for the match-winning strike.

Carrick added: “Kobbie can play different roles within that, but definitely with Casemiro in the middle of the last couple of games we’ve had a really good pairing.

“They’ve been a big part of controlling the team.”

We believe the manager is spot on with his comments about the control that Mainoo has brought to this United team.

The 20-year-old has played with a maturity beyond his years, looking calm, confident and fearless in possession.

He is a press-resistant midfielder who can wriggle out of tight areas, beat the first line of pressure and exploit gaps in the opposition’s structure.

While he may not be the most physically imposing player, his technical quality, intelligence and decision-making place him among the very best young midfielders in the country.

Carrick rounded off his assessment with a subtle yet powerful endorsement of Mainoo’s impact and potential.

He said: “He’s a joy to watch.”

The club academy graduate is expected to start again in midfield when Fulham make a trip to Manchester.

It will be another golden opportunity for the wonderkid to impress England manager Thomas Tuchel and strengthen his case for a place in the World Cup squad.

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .