Kobbie Mainoo: United ace was Carrick’s trump card against Liverpool
Kobbie Mainoo: United ace was Carrick’s trump card against Liverpool Manchester United secured qualification for next season’s Champions League with a pulsating 3-2 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, 3 May. The Red Devils arrived at the game on the back of two hard-fought wins against Chelsea and Brentford. On Sunday, the hosts were very quickly off the blocks against their bitter rivals, with Matheus Cunha giving them the lead in the sixth minute.
Benjamin Sesko then brought the house down at the Theatre of Dreams by doubling the score eight minutes later. United went into the break with a 2-0 lead, but Liverpool capitalised on individual errors to get back into the game in the second half. Amad Diallo, who replaced Sesko at the break, gave away the ball that allowed Dominik Szoboszlai to reduce the deficit two minutes into the second half.
Senne Lammens then gave the ball away while attempting to play it out from the back, and Cody Gakpo equalised for the visitors in the 56th minute. Liverpool grew in confidence and United were in danger of dropping points at home. That was when Kobbie Mainoo stepped up.
Messiah Mainoo United did have isolated chances to get back in front, but it was Mainoo who finally made it count. In the 77th minute, the Englishman side-footed the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the box, sending fans across the globe into a frenzy. That set up an intense ending to the game, but United held on and secured three vital points to remain third in the league.
The Red Devils extended their recent winning run to three games, and have now picked up the most points in the Premier League since Michael Carrick’s arrival. Central to the English giants’ spectacular rise under their caretaker manager has been a resurgent Mainoo, who once again proved why he is the future of the club. Another Man of the Match Performance Mainoo has been in the starting XI in 13 of Carrick’s 14 games in charge, and his only absence was the 2-1 defeat to Leeds United, when he was sidelined with injury.