Kobbie Mainoo surprised Man United fans with reaction to difficult moment

Kobbie Mainoo has emerged as a key option for Erik ten Hag at Manchester United this season and has surprised many supporters.

Mainoo, 18, started his first Premier League game against Everton in November and has since started a further 10 league fixtures.

His winning goal in the last minute against the Wolves has been the highlight so far, but the teenage midfielder has impressed more through his ability on the ball in the middle of the park.

Last time out, Mainoo was one of the only United players to remain calm and composed when Luton Town were piling on the pressure at Kenilworth Road.

That might’ve not been too surprising for United supporters, who have quickly become accustomed to the academy graduate’s talent level.

However, the major question mark about Mainoo’s progression into this team was always how he would deal with adversity thrown his way, especially in a dysfunctional United team.

That challenge came against West Ham back in December, where the 18-year-old’s miscontrol led to The Hammers doubling their lead on the day and subsequently winning the game.

It was a moment that was needed for Mainoo, to see how he would react and whether the calm and composed nature of the player would remain. The answer: it has.

Mainoo has since started the following seven league games, with only one of them being a defeat – the game against Nottingham Forest, where Erik ten Hag controversially brought him off at half-time.

That West Ham moment could have easily phased many young players. However, it has only proven that Mainoo is able to deal with those difficult moments better than many would’ve expected.

His quality was never in question – for those who had watched him in the youth teams – but there is always a chance that the scolding first-team environment was going to be too much, too soon.

For Mainoo, it quite clearly was not.