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Manchester United managed to hold on for a 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday despite being on the back foot for the majority of the match.
A welcome result following a bitter last-minute 4-3 defeat to Chelsea, Man United made the most of their few goalscoring opportunities to deny the visitors three points.
With only nine shots, all of which came in the second half, compared to Liverpool’s 28, United defied the odds by avoiding defeat. One of the core components of United’s attack on the day was teenage talent Kobbie Mainoo.
Despite only having 36 touches throughout the match, Mainoo made the most of the little possession he had.
The central midfielder completed 14 of his 18 passes, resulting in a 78% passing accuracy. His passing game remained grounded, however, with the England international not making a single cross nor long pass.
Completing two of his three attempted dribbles, Mainoo showed great quality on the ball as well as physicality. He won eight of his 11 duels, with each of his successes coming from ground duels.
When dropping back into defence, Mainoo proved just what an excellent extra layer of defence he can provide, making five tackles along with an interception while also blocking two shots.
Still, aside from his strong midfield and defensive performances, Mainoo also proved how clinical he can be on the offensive, thereby proving himself to be a holistic midfielder.
In the 67th minute, Mainoo took his only shot of the match. After receiving the ball from Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Mainoo, standing on the edge of the box, controlled the ball before curling it into the top right corner at the far post, sending United into a 2-1 lead.
Although Liverpool managed to equalise, United would not have managed to get a result had it not been for Mainoo’s ingenuity.
This is especially true given how much the visitors dictated the run of play, particularly in the first half when United could not even get a shot on goal.
With a stellar defensive, midfield and attacking performance, Mainoo showed just how rounded a player he is. United will do well to carefully nurture him as he quickly emerges as a key player in the heart of the midfield.
(Stats via Sofascore)
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