29 passes, 7 duels won – Man Utd fans all agree about ‘under the radar’ performance vs Man City

Manchester United fans are all in agreement about one player’s ‘under the radar’ performance against Manchester City on the weekend.

Manchester United orchestrated a stunning 2-1 comeback to triumph over Manchester City in a thrilling Premier League derby at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola’s side took the lead in the first half when Joško Gvardiol rose highest to head home from Kevin De Bruyne’s deflected cross.

United gained momentum in the second half, controlling possession but struggling to find a way past City’s solid defence.

As the game approached its conclusion, Amad Diallo ignited United’s resurgence after his quick footwork earned a late penalty, which Bruno Fernandes coolly slotted home.

In stoppage time, Lisandro Martínez delivered a moment of magic with a perfectly executed long ball to Amad with the game tied.

The young winger showed exceptional quality, rounding Ederson and finishing with precision to complete United’s remarkable turnaround and secure a dramatic 2-1 victory.

Man Utd fans in agreement about Mainoo display

Kobbie Mainoo has not had a significant role under Amorim so far, with the 19-year-old’s reintegration to the team being managed after a recent injury.

However, on Sunday afternoon he was thrown into action after Mason Mount’s early injury at the Etihad, with the Academy graduate coming on after just 14 minutes.

Despite City’s poor form, it is still extremely difficult for a teenager to come into a game of that magnitude as a first-half substitute. Mainoo made it look easy.

The United midfielder slotted alongside Manuel Ugarte in the midfield and provided a solid defensive base – winning two tackles and seven duels.

He was impressive on the ball, connecting with his teammates in tight spaces and finding some good forward passes. Mainoo completed 29 of his 33 attempted passes and created one chance in the game.

Yet, many fans have noticed that no one is really talking about the display from Mainoo and it is simply because we have come to expect this type of performance from the teenager.

“He doesn’t get praised anymore because this is an average performance for him,” one fan wrote on X in response to a video of Mainoo’s highlights during the game.

“Performance like this is going under the radar because we all see it as a normal thing for him now lol,” another fan added.

A third supporter concluded: “Quality again, it’s become so normal that [Gary] Neville seemingly grouped him in with the players who don’t have a clue in his analysis, poor commentary.”

Mainoo will thrive under Amorim

It is always easy to forget how young Mainoo is and that he is only playing his second season of professional football. His maturity, consistency and quality are simply staggering.

Some were questioning where the teenager fits in Amorim’s system, but it is quite clear that he will be thriving under the Portuguese head coach soon.

The most promising thing is that United do not look as dependent on the 19-year-old as they did last season. This will only help allow him to grow and develop without the pressure of holding together the midfield at Old Trafford.

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