Former Manchester United goalkeeper Tim Howard has insisted that Kobbie Mainoo should emulate Arsenal star Declan Rice. The 19-year-old phenom has burst onto the scene, compiling five goals and an assist in 32 appearances in the campaign. His final goal of the 2023/24 season was the eventual winner in the FA Cup final on Saturday. Mainoo’s goal helped the Red Devils beat rivals Manchester City and lift the trophy for the 13th time in their history.
The youngster entered the current campaign having only one Premier League appearance under his belt. Although manager Erik ten Hag certainly did not expect to rely on Mainoo very much this season, the midfielder became undroppable following stellar displays in November and December.
Mainoo’s rise has made several pundits compare the youngster to former United legend Paul Scholes. Much like Scholes, the current star can operate several useful roles in midfield for the club. He can be deployed more defensively to help focus on breaking up opposing teams. However, the youngster possesses the creative talent to also be a more box-to-box midfielder.
While many have compared Mainoo to Scholes, the legend recently claimed that the youngster is even better than he was at his current age.
“Read a few comparisons between me and this kid last week,” Scholes posted on social media. “Don’t waste your time, he is 10 times the player I was at 19. Just love the way he receives the ball, the calmness, the awareness of what’s around him, and, of course, the big goals in big games.”
Howard hopes United and England allow Mainoo more freedom on the pitch
Howard understands the comparisons between the two Red Devils players, particularly because they both advanced through the United academy. Nevertheless, the former goalkeeper claimed that Mainoo should instead try to imitate Rice’s current game.
In a piece written for Mail Sport, Howard pointed to the Arsenal star’s newfound freedom in Mikel…
Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/tim-howard-says-mainoo-should-mimic-declan-rice-not-scholes/
Author : Chris Moore
Publish date : 2024-05-28 17:29:08
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