Bruno Fernandes has been great since moving back to the number 10 position for Manchester United, but Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thinks one teammate helps the club captain play even better.
Since Ruben Amorim’s sacking at Manchester United, we have seen Bruno Fernandes back in his best position behind the striker, and he’s been incredible.
The club captain has provided an assist in every game he’s played since then. He is leading the league for assists and is hunting down the Premier League record with 10 so far, needing another 10.
The performance called for Patrick Vieira to suggest Fernandes has been unlocked under Michael Carrick, with the performances suggesting exactly that.
But Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thinks Fernandes has another player to thank for this.
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Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink hails Kobbie Mainoo quality
If there is one player who has been the biggest winner since Carrick arrived, it isn’t Fernandes, but instead his replacement as Casemiro’s partner, Kobbie Mainoo.
After spending the first half of the season surplus to Amorim’s requirements, Mainoo has since made a mockery of his former boss with two top-class performances against the league’s two best teams and midfielders in Rodri and Declan Rice.
Now, while appearing on Sky Sports with Jamie Carragher to pick a possible England World Cup squad, Hasselbaink spoke with lots of praise for Mainoo.
“He makes Bruno Fernandes play better, because he gives him the ball and he takes the ball in tight areas.”
Continuing, Hasselbaink revealed current United assistant coach Steve Holland was a real admirer of the midfielder while working together with England.
“He’s very confident on the ball. At times in training [for England], me and Steve Holland were looking at ourselves when Steve was doing some drills on the pitch, we’re looking at ourselves when he has the ball, and it’s just so beautiful to see, you know.
“The boy can play, and he wants to play, and he’s not scared to play. That’s really what you need.”
Mainoo has been great recently, clearly with a coaching staff that believes in him and knows exactly how good he can be.
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Jamie Carragher picks Mainoo in his England World Cup squad
Hasselbaink’s praise then led to Jamie Carragher revealing his ideal England squad, and surprisingly, he had Mainoo in there.
He then explained why.
“Not just [based] on the two performances, but I’ve also got to think what he’s done for England in a final. He’s got to have a good run between now and the end of the season.
“What we saw him do for England, I always go back to the Holland game. His performance that night at such a young age, on that stage with so much at stake for his country. It was like he was still playing in Manchester United’s academy, and I couldn’t believe that. He has absolutely been fantastic.
“He’s been brilliant in the last two games, needs to keep that going, but there is no doubt he has the quality to play at that level because he’s already proven it.”
Despite being criminally underused by Amorim, Mainoo is probably better than all of England’s midfielders bar Rice, and so if he plays from now until June, his involvement at the World Cup is surely inevitable.
Now, it’s all up to Mainoo to prove he belongs with 15 games left this season.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/VqJojrQ