Jamie Redknapp says Kobbie Mainoo is facing a much tougher challenge at Manchester United than Phil Foden ever has at Manchester City.
It’s been a fantastic March for Kobbie Mainoo as he played a key role in the FA Cup triumph over Liverpool which earned him his first England call-up and debut.
The 18-year-old earned rave reviews for his Player of the Match performance against Belgium for the Three Lions but came back to earth on Saturday night.
While Mainoo himself wasn’t the worst offender, he was back in a United side that seemed to have lost all the spark and fight it showed against Liverpool.
Erik ten Hag’s team were listless in their Premier League encounter against Brentford, fortunate not to be 4-0 down by half-time alone.
Brentford completely dominated the match yet United managed to take an undeserved lead through Mason Mount in the 96th minute.
Everyone thought it was the winner but the Bees struck back to get a point, the very least they deserved.
United’s struggles show just how impressive Mainoo has been to stand out and Jamie Redknapp says he’s got a much tougher task than Phil Foden has ever had.
Jamie Redknapp on Kobbie Mainoo
Speaking on Sky Sports’ coverage of the game, Jamie Redknapp said: “More difficult.
“When you come into a team that’s playing well and you’ve got a Man City team with a young player, a bit like Phil Foden did, it’s not as difficult.
“Because you’re playing with great players, you’re winning games.
“He’s having to take games by the scruff of the next at 18 years of age.
“He’s played 20 times for Man United, the biggest compliment I can give him, he looks like he’s played 300.
“He’s that calm, he’s that cool. For England in midweek, the crowd love him, he’s a superstar in the making.
“He’s just got to keep his head down, keep working hard, doing all the things that he’s done to get him where he is right now and keep playing at that level.
“He’s a superstar.”
A dose of reality about Kobbie Mainoo
The hype surrounding Mainoo has skyrocketed this past week with his unexpected England call-up and strong display on his international bow.
There’s nothing wrong with getting excited, especially about a player who looks to be exactly what Gareth Southgate’s side was missing, but it’s important not to inflate expectations too much.
Mainoo is a prodigal talent but he’s still so young, still learning the game and developing as a person, let alone a player.
There are gonna be setbacks, there are going to be games when he can’t run the show.
Mainoo had some nice passes against Brentford but was weak in a few challenges as he came up against strong opposition, losing out on the ball in dangerous areas.
That’s completely fine, he’s learning and it should be expected. The dose of reality has come at an ideal time.