PEP GUARDIOLA was left in awe of a moment of magic from Kobbie Mainoo during Manchester City’s comfortable derby win over Manchester United.
Man City cruised past their neighbours 3-0 on Sunday in a game that offered few positive takeaways for the Red Devils.
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United, who have now picked up just four points from their opening four Premier League games, were leapfrogged by City in the table after the defeat.
While former club legends like Gary Neville and Roy Keane ripped into their old club’s performance.
However, one bright spark in the match was the second half cameo of Kobbie Mainoo, who left Pep Guardiola in disbelief after a delightful bit of skill.
Mainoo, 20, showed defensive tenacity and great ball-carrying after coming on for Noussair Mazraoui in the 62nd minute
But it was his sly nutmeg on Nico Gonzalez that had Guardiola most impressed.
Mainoo battled to win the ball off Savinho, before taking a great touch to skip away from Phil Foden and then poking it through the legs of Gonzalez to spark a United attack.
Unfortunately for the Carrington academy graduate, nothing came of the move after his pinged pass to Patrick Dorgu was followed by an easily blocked cross from the full-back.
But the impressive sequence from Mainoo had Guardiola with his hands on his head and Man Utd fans screaming for the England international to be starting regular games under Ruben Amorim.
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On social media, one fan wrote: “Mainoo is a top quality player, I don’t get Amorim.”
While another added: “Most reasonable managers would build a team around this lad. But to Amorim, he is surplus to requirements.”
A third simply commented: “Kobbie should be starting.”
And a fourth posted: “I legit don’t understand why Mainoo isn’t in the starting lineup. He’s such a talent.”
Mainoo has been struggling for game time under Amorim, so much so that he even requested to be sent out on loan during the summer window to help develop his career.
That request was denied by Amorim and United chiefs who believe Mainoo is still a crucial part of the team and has a future at Old Trafford.
Mainoo, however, is keen to play regularly ahead of the World Cup this summer, with a place in Thomas Tuchel‘s England squad at the forefront of thinking.
The midfielder is yet to start a league game under Amorim this season and was only trusted from the off in United’s embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby Town.
Amorim explained his demands and expectations of Mainoo this season ahead of Sunday’s defeat to City.
He said: “I didn’t have a conversation with him before the window closed because I didn’t want Kobbie Mainoo thinking that I was having a conversation with him just to hold on to him.
“I did it this week. I believe in him a lot. He is a top player. But some of you think that Kobbie Mainoo is already done [a complete player]. I think he can do so much better.
“For some guys [talent] is enough, but for him it is not. Maybe it’s not fair, but I think I’m helping Kobbie and that’s it.”
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