"He's doing stuff that probably took me 10 years to learn" - Manchester United icon Roy Keane hails England star after showing in Euro 2024 clash
Manchester United legend Roy Keane has hailed England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo for his performance in the 2-1 EURO 2024 Round of 16 extra time win over Slovakia on Sunday (June 30) in Gelsenkirchen. The 19-year-old midfielder was easily one of the best players before he was subbed off late on.
Mainoo played 84 minutes, displaying impressive passing qualities that saw only three passes go awry. He was a problem for Slovakia's defence, as he readily found inroads into the final third, sometimes playing in a teammate, other times running in himself.
The 19-year-old was press-resistant, not losing the ball even once, as he controlled the midfield and proceedings. Overall, he provided a solid performance that earned him praise from Keane. The icon said on ITV (via Mirror):
"You see the stuff he is doing, I played in that position, but he's doing stuff that probably took me 10 years to learn. He's obviously had a great foundation at Man United and he's getting into good habits but we've seen in these big games - and when you're playing for Man United, every game is a big game for Man United, so he'll cope with all that."
Kobbie Mainoo's cameo appearance was so impressive that it will hardly be any surprise if he starts for the Three Lions against Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals on Saturday (July 6) in Dusseldorf.
Former Manchester United defender discusses England's problems at EURO 2024
England haven't had the best of performances at EURO 2024. While they conceded once in the group stage, against Denmark, they have also struggled to score.
Although they are through to the quarterfinals after a close shave, there are concerns about their attack. Former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre explained the issues to bettingexpert.com (via DAZN):
“It's a confirmation of what we've seen during the last few months with England. You don't turn up to a tournament and suddenly show your best form. It's in the making. So. It was coming."
The former Manchester United player detailed what they had to change:
“The best teams in this tournament. They've been on the front foot. Very positive, very aggressive going forward and consistent. And I would say for England the players have a positive attitude, but as a style of play, in general, it's been too fragmented. There's a lack of consistency in that way.”
The Three Lions will hope to improve on their aggressiveness and consistency as they continue their EURO 2024 campaign.