Wes Brown has made an exciting prediction about Kobbie Mainoo after his impressive performances for England this week.
The seemingly unstoppable assent of Kobbie Mainoo rocketed even higher this past week after he made his debut on the international stage.
Mainoo wasn’t even supposed to be in the England squad initially but Gareth Southgate changed his mind after the great performance against Liverpool and promoted him straight to the seniors.
The Three Lions boss then went a step further by handing the Manchester United starlet his first cap as a substitute against Brazil before giving him his full debut against Belgium.
Mainoo was superb in the 2-2 draw at Wembley and played a big hand in winning the penalty for Ivan Toney’s equaliser.
The 18-year-old was named the Player of the Match and Wes Brown expects even bigger things to come on the grandest stage.
Wes Brown makes an exciting Kobbie Mainoo prediction
Speaking to United’s in-house media, former United defender Brown explained what impressed him so much about Mainoo’s display before making his prediction.
He said: “I think we’ve got to praise him for how well he’s doing.
“But if you look at Kobbie, he looks like the sort of character who can handle it.
“He’s here to play football the calmness that he shows.
“Yesterday at times it was him Bellingham and Foden, the way he was playing it was like street football but all having laugh.
“He gets the ball he plays forward, I think that’s very important.
“When they were pressing him, it puts them under pressure and it was just class.
“I honestly do think he’s on the plane now and he will be very close to starting as well.”
Will Kobbie Mainoo make the England squad for Euro 2024?
Surely the only thing that can stop Mainoo from going to this summer’s tournament in Germany at this point would be an injury.
It would be typical for England to lose their next great hope just before the tournament and with the way injuries have gone atOld Trafford this season you can’t rule it out.
But if he’s fit, Mainoo has to be on the plane as he is everything Southgate could want in his midfielder.
United’s No.37 is quality on the ball, always looking to move his team up the pitch with driving runs or quick passes, but he has defensive qualities as well.
Southgate was always going to be hesitant about playing Phil Foden centrally alongside Jude Bellingham as it’s too attacking.
But Kalvin Phillips and Jordan Henderson simply aren’t in good enough form to start in the tournament.
Mainoo provides the best of both worlds.