Former Premier League striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has sung the praises of Manchester United ace Kobbie Mainoo following his reintroduction to the starting XI.
For the first half of the Premier League campaign, Kobbie Mainoo struggled to earn a spot in the Manchester United starting XI, although a change in manager has seen a change in fortune.
Since the departure of Ruben Amorim, Mainoo has been a mainstay in the United side, and even assisted Matheus Cunha’s winner against Arsenal on Sunday.
With the young Englishman seemingly enjoying his start to life under Michael Carrick, he will have his sights set on a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup.
When speaking about the 20-year-old following United’s fantastic victory over Arsenal, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink highlighted what he saw during his time as a coach for England.
Hasselbaink sings Mainoo praise
When speaking on Sky Sports, via a post on X, the former Premier League talisman spoke on Mainoo’s ‘confidence’, as well as his ability on the ball.
Hasselbaink said, “He’s very confident on the ball. At times in training [for England], me and Steve Holland were looking at ourselves when Steve was doing some drills on the pitch, we’re looking at ourselves when he has the ball and it’s just so beautiful to see, you know.
“The boy can play, and he wants to play, and he’s not scared to play. That’s really what you need.”
Now that Mainoo is back in the picture at United, he will be hopeful that he can make a similar impression on Tuchel to earn a spot in one of England’s most highly contested positions.
United’s successful formation change
United’s recent change in formation has reaped its rewards so far, with the Reds looking far more comfortable in a more traditional 4-2-3-1 system.
This change in format has allowed Carrick’s side to introduce an extra body in the midfield, which has helped them to sustain far more control in their games.
From a more pessimistic perspective, United have often performed well against the sides at the top end of the table, even throughout their poor periods.
It will be very interesting to see how the Reds fare against Fulham next weekend, as this will be a more true test as to how well they can control more rigid, defensive-minded opposition.
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