- Manchester United star talks about the club’s newfound confidence
- Manchester United qualify for the Champions League
- Kobbie Mainoo’s resurgence
As the clock ticked down on Sunday’s battle between the two biggest English clubs in the country, Kobbie Mainoo broke the 2-2 deadlock to secure victory for Manchester United against Liverpool—and seal Champions League football for next season.
Receiving the ball just outside the box as the game drifted into its final phase, Mainoo had almost no time to register it before he struck.
Alexis Mac Allister had just tried to clear Liverpool’s penalty area, only for the ball to drop at Mainoo’s feet. With Dominik Szoboszlai closing him down, Mainoo opened his body and guided the ball with precision, sending it skimming across the turf and beyond a stranded Freddie Woodman.
It was not the final kick of the game, but it gave United exactly what they needed to get over the line.
It also marks a sharp turning point across the past 16 months, with Mainoo moving from starter, to the fringes, and back to the centre of the side.
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“I Believe in Him” – Mainoo on Carrick
Mainoo delved into Carrick’s impact since arriving at United shortly after the win over Liverpool. He told Norwegian journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft after the final whistle:
“Obviously the manager changed, and he’s filled us all with so much confidence. I’ve been able to follow him, work for him, and yeah, I just believe in him so much. He’s helped us a lot… Just speaking to the players, and the way he talks. We know he’s been there before, and it makes it easy to follow him.”
Michael Carrick’s appointment has reshaped Mainoo’s season, driving his return to the first team. Under Ruben Amorim, Mainoo drifted. He still picked up minutes, but he slipped from a starting role into a rotational option off the bench.
For a player destined for stardom, that shift frustrated supporters, who watched an academy product lose ground. Amorim did not speak without reason. The Portuguese coach pointed to gaps in Mainoo’s out-of-possession work, urging him to sharpen his tackling and refine his passing:
“Kobbie is really good at controlling the game, but if he plays as an eight he has to reach the box and return. Sometimes he has to cover a lot of space with just two [players],” Amorim said in early September when the club blocked a loan move.“
Amorim added:
“He could play as a six (defensive midfielder) but sometimes he passes the ball and goes away, which is not a reference as a six. We have to balance everything. He has the technical ability but he needs to understand the position better. He needs to play in different speeds – sometimes lower, sometimes faster; he can improve on that.”
Since returning to the side, Mainoo has shaken off that rust, and across the last three matches, he has looked like United’s standout player. Amorim’s critique may have cut deep, but it has sharpened him.
“One game at a time”
After the match, Fjortoft asked him where he wanted to begin. He responded:
“I don’t know… match-winner against Liverpool, probably. It’s been a good month, and I’m happy we’ve been able to carry on the momentum. To be honest, I don’t remember much of it [his goal]. I just remember the ball falling, and I think it went bottom left. I just got excited, so happy.”
Mainoo also addressed the weight of Champions League qualification.
“Massively important. That’s where we should be as a club, fighting for those top spots and playing European football, especially Champions League football. Every season is full of ups and downs. Obviously this season had more downs at the start, but I’ve just tried to stay patient, keep my head down and keep working hard.”
The English midfielder also touched on his new contract:
“Yeah, it’s a blessing to be able to commit my future to this club. I want to work for the club, and I want to… I want to stay here. Win, win, win, win. Just take it a game at a time and keep trying to win games.”
Mainoo now sits back at the heart of this United side. Under Carrick, he has featured in every match bar the Leeds fixture, where a knock ruled him out.
United will now look to bring in at least two midfielders this summer, ensuring the profiles complement Mainoo.
Read: “Can’t Play Without You” – Man Utd Fans’ Unreal Kobbie Mainoo Chant
