Gary Neville says Manchester United and England star Kobbie Mainoo already has a skill that he and fellow pundit Jamie Carragher never had.
Mainoo has enjoyed a breakthrough season for club and country, playing 14 Premier League games and making his England debut during the recent international break.
The 18-year-old was a late inclusion in the England squad but impressed in a brief cameo against Brazil before featuring more heavily against Belgium.
Several pundits have suggested Mainoo should not only go to Euro 2024 this summer but start for England, who are bidding to win their first major trophy in men’s football since 1966.
Neville says Mainoo has ‘incredible’ awareness and positioning despite his lack of experience and has compared his tackling to that of ex-Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves.
‘We say “is he a holding midfield player?”, the answer is yes and no,’ he told the Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet. ‘When he goes back to defend his own box, his positions are fantastic.
‘His awareness of danger and runs into the box, blocking pull-backs and things like that, is incredible for a young player.
‘But also, last night there was a moment in the second half when [Jeremy] Doku went past him. He got back at Doku and got the ball off him and slid in.
‘Owen Hargreaves used to do that for United. Hargreaves was a great tackler in midfield, he’d go and take the ball off people. He’s got that about him.
‘If me and you [Carragher] were playing against Doku and he was running at us… once he’s gone, we ain’t getting back at him. We’d drop off him to make sure he’d pass it.
‘He [Mainoo] will go and think “I’m going to take the ball off Doku.” There are very few players like that.’
England boss Gareth Southgate praised Mainoo for his quick adaptation to the senior side as he ponders picking the teenager in his squad for the Euros.
‘His attributes are there for everybody to see, that ability to receive under pressure and ride challenges, to manipulate the ball in tight areas,’ Southgate said.
‘He gives us a different profile of midfield player to anything else we’ve got and we’re really pleased with what he’s done, he’s adapted and adjusted brilliantly.
‘You can’t believe his age really, that he’s taking it all in his stride as he has.’
Mainoo will likely return to action on Saturday when Manchester United resume their Premier League campaign with a trip to west London to face Brentford.
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