Mainoo..he spelt out why he's the future of Man U

WHEN fourth official Anthony Taylor put his number up in lights less than 10 minutes before the end of regulation time, it would have been understandable had Kobbie Mainoo wasted a few seconds and dawdled from the field.

Instead, the 18-year-old dashed to the bench, giving the Manchester United fans a double-armed sign of encouragement. Mainoo was not for running down the clock - he was urging his teammates to go and somehow snatch an unlikely win.

If a few more of Mainoo's senior colleagues shared his positivity, shared his calmness, shared his diligence, United manager Erik ten Hag's position would surely not be so precarious.

On his full Premier League debut less than a mile away at Everton, Mainoo introduced himself as a serious teenage talent. On the other side of Stanley Park, three weeks later, Mainoo confirmed himself as a serious teenage talent.

If you are into your statistics, Mainoo enjoyed 89 percent pass accuracy, won four ground duels, completed two out of two long balls, won two tackles, and made one interception and one clearance.

But you do not need statistics to tell you Mainoo is the future of Man U.