Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo scored together against Man City in the FA Cup final, demonstrating their maturity when trusted by Ten Hag.
According to OptaJoe, Garnacho and Mainoo made history by becoming the first two teenage players to score in the FA Cup final in 20 years. Their two goals helped MU defeat Man City 2-1, thus salvaging a disastrous season.
At the same time, Garnacho and Mainoo also showed that coach Ten Hag did not trust the wrong people. This couple progresses day by day and begins to reap the first results with the “Red Devils”.
Outstanding highlight
Garnacho was promoted to the first team as soon as coach Ten Hag took charge at Old Trafford. The Argentine striker competes fairly for an official position with his own talent alongside Antony or Marcus Rashford.
Garnacho has a fast style of play, using technique to overcome the opponent’s defense. In addition, the Argentine striker’s ability to choose his position is also highly appreciated. Since being placed on the right wing, Garnacho has shown how much he has overwhelmed this corridor of MU with his excellent technique.
There was even a time when Garnacho was rated by Goal as one of MU’s best players in the 2023/24 season. This season, Garnacho has 10 goals and 5 assists after 50 matches in all competitions. An amazing statistic for a player born in 2004.
The opening goal against Man City on May 25 showed the qualities of a striker in the 19-year-old player. The ability to accelerate and take advantage of the opponent’s mistakes is what helped Garnacho seize the opportunity after the mistake of Josko Gvardiol and Stefan Ortega in the 30th minute at Wembley.
Number 17’s goal helped MU play more confidently against the Premier League champion. Garnacho can even create many special things if he takes advantage of opportunities created by his teammates.
Goal praised MU’s young talented duo: “For this victory, Manchester United needs to thank the two young men Garnacho and Mainoo. They play with a fearless spirit. Ten Hag trains them very well.”
Time makes heroes
In the context of a series of midfield pillars being injured or not in good form, Mainoo was trusted by Ten Hag to give him a starting spot in the first team. The English midfielder took advantage of the opportunity and did not disappoint the Dutch teacher.
Number 37 shows an amazingly calm and mature playing style even though he is only 19 years old. Impressive performance at the club helped Mainoo make his debut in the “Three Lions” shirt and the opportunity to play at EURO 2024.
Returning to the match against Man City, Mainoo was an important factor in helping MU overcome Man City to win the FA Cup and a ticket to the Europa League. In the 39th minute, a delicate cushion into the far corner helped the English talent double the gap after a classy pass from captain Bruno Fernandes.
In addition, the England international also brings coherence and certainty to the midfield coach Ten Hag builds. This player recovered the ball from the feet of Man City players 4 times. At the same time, he played an important role in the quick transitions of the “Red Devils”. The young midfielder’s discomfort caused De Bruyne to “turn off” and leave the field after only 56 minutes at Wembley.
After the match, former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes refused to accept comparisons with his junior. Scholes commented on his personal page: “Don’t waste time comparing me to Kobbie Mainoo. He is 10 times older than me when I was 19 years old.”
“I like the way he receives the ball, his composure, his ability to observe and his goals in big matches. Mainoo is special and he is the true ‘Red Devil’”, Scholes emphasized.
Both Mainoo and Garnacho are very young and have plenty of time to develop their talents. Many Manucians (MU fans) expect that this duo will be the future pillars of the club. However, both still need to keep their feet on the ground if they don’t want to fall into the footsteps of many other morning stars.
