‘He’s a fantastic footballer’ – Carrick praises Kobbie Mainoo’s impact at Man Utd

Michael Carrick has expressed delight at Kobbie Mainoo’s resurgence since being reinstated into Manchester United’s starting lineup, praising the midfielder’s composure and natural ability despite his youth.

The decision to recall Mainoo, who had been sidelined under previous coach Ruben Amorim, has already begun to pay dividends for the Red Devils, with Carrick impressed by the player’s performances on the pitch.

“I’ve known Kobbie a long time,” Carrick told BBC Sport. “I started working with him when I think he was 13 or 14, when I was starting to do my coaching badges – a good few years ago. Just little bits. And then, obviously, when I was here the first time, he was in and around a little bit.”

Carrick emphasized that familiarity with Mainoo’s development made the selection decision straightforward.

“I was just a big fan of watching him play and knowing what he was capable of. So it wasn’t really a big decision to play him,” he said.

The United interim manager noted that adjusting to first-team football after a period out of the spotlight can be challenging, but Mainoo has adapted impressively.

“There are things he can get better at, things he can improve on, but we haven’t really got started on any of that because we’re just letting him go and find his flow and find his rhythm of playing football again,” Carrick added.

Carrick’s confidence in Mainoo’s abilities is evident, describing him as a “fantastic footballer” with “huge talent” capable of performing on the biggest stages despite his age.