With a Carabao Cup and a third-place finish under his belt, Erik ten Hag would have expected his Manchester United side to progress even further this season.
However, that has been far from the case, with the Red Devils sitting sixth in the Premier League, eight points behind Aston Villa in fourth.
The only positive that can be salvaged from the season so far is that the boss has stuck to the United way of putting trust in the academy.
From the days of David Beckham and Paul Scholes to the current Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, United really have produced some fantastic talent over the years, with the latter particularly excelling.
Kobbie Mainoo’s days in the academy
Watching Mainoo this season has been a breath of fresh air, with the 18-year-old becoming a fan favourite already, and not just for the United faithful.
The defensive midfielder is the definition of a true professional, showing the characteristics and experience of someone with a decade of knowledge, which is why he has been fast-tracked into the first team by Ten Hag.
Mainoo starred in the youth teams, playing 62 matches across each development phase, with player-coach Tom Huddleston stating, “He looks like a younger version of Yaya Toure.”
The former Hull City man seems to have been correct with his early prediction, with the number 37 instantly proving that he was good enough to compete in the Premier League on his debut against Everton in United’s 3-0 victory.
The English gem picked up the Man of the Match award against the Toffees, thriving both in and out of possession by making two interceptions and having 61 touches. Since then, Mainoo has only gone from strength to strength.
Meet the Man Utd teen who'll soon be ready to follow in Mainoo's shoes
The youth has really stepped up for Erik ten Hag this season.
ByTom LeverMar 4, 2024 How Mainoo compares to Paul Scholes
Just like Mainoo, Scholes progressed through the academy ranks at United before earning a spot in the starting lineup and then becoming irreplaceable.
From that point on, the midfielder became a United legend, winning 11 Premier Leagues and 14 other titles over 718 matches for the Red Devils, the only club of his illustrious career.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe will hope that Mainoo can mirror the success and pathway of Scholes, becoming a vital player at the heart of a midfield rebuild.
In truth, United haven’t seen a midfield academy player quite as talented or work their way into the first team in such a fashion since Scholes himself. The number 37 has featured 22 times for Ten Hag's team this season, developing a solid partnership alongside Casemiro.
Mainoo’s winning mentality and confidence make him such an elite talent, with football creator Liam Canning calling the midfielder “special,” and his performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this season was particularly impressive.
Goals
1
Pass accuracy
86%
Successful dribbles
2
Duels won
7
Tackles
3
As you can see, Mainoo is an extremely well-rounded talent who can not only show technical class with the ball at his feet and work tirelessly out of possession but also score important goals, just like Scholes, who netted 155 goals over his United career.
Overall, it’s clear to see that Mainoo is one of the most promising talents in Europe, and if he continues to progress at the rate he has, the future looks extremely bright.
