Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney sees similarities between the ‘incredible’ Kobbie Mainoo and his one-time Premier League team-mate Bastian Schweinsteiger.
If the Carrington graduate goes on to accumulate anywhere near the number of trophies Schweinsteger got his mitts on during that sprawling spell at Bayern Munich, then it’s fair to say Kobbie Mainoo will have lived up to his vast potential.
Wayne Rooney, who spent a brief period alongside Schweinsteiger in the Louis van Gaal era at Manchester United, sees a few similarities between the Germany icon and Manchester United’s 18-year-old rising star.
Mainoo, he says, possesses the same ‘maturity’ and poise that marked Schweinsteiger out as one of the finest midfielders of his generation when he too burst onto the scene as a fresh-faced teenager.
Manchester United beat Everton as Mainoo impresses
“He’s been incredible,” Rooney tells TNT Sports of Mainoo ahead of Man United’s Saturday lunchtime clash with another of his former employers, Everton. “At such a young age, the maturity he shows…
“When you see young players come into any first-team, they are normally a bit raw. He reminds me of a young Bastian Schweinsteiger in the way he entices players in and always makes the right decision.
“I think he’s got a real bright future.”
Wayne Rooney impressed
Mainoo produced a typically composed display as Man United boosted their slim top-four hopes with an uninspiring 2-0 victory over Sean Dyche’s relegation-threatened Toffees, fellow teenager Alejandro Garnacho winning two first-half penalties converted by Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford.
18-year-old Mainoo, fresh from winning the Premier League’s Goal of the Month award after his 97th minute masterclass away to Wolves in February, completed 82 per cent of his passes against Everton (WhoScored).
A tally which, while down from his seasonal average, was still comfortably higher than that of Scott McTominay and Casemiro, the latter seemingly coming down with a case of colour-blindness as he caughed up possession six times in the opening 20 minutes alone.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/2lgt5Ue