"We know what he is capable of" - Ten Hag admits he wasn't surprised by Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo's recent England performances
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has heaped praise on the Red Devils' youngster Kobbie Mainoo, following his stellar performance with England national team.
Mainoo gave a good account of himself in the two games he featured in for England against Brazil and Belgium. The Manchester United youngster made a brilliant cameo appearance off the bench against Brazil. He followed it up with the Player of the Match performance during England's 2-2 friendly draw against Belgium.
Kobbie Mainoo's overall performance during the international break has drawn a couple of commendations from fans and pundits, as he showed a lot of maturity for his age.
However, club manager Ten Hag has revealed that he isn't surprised by the midfielder's performance for England, stating that he knows what Mainoo is capable of.
In his words during a pre-match press conference ahead of the Red Devils' PL game against Brentford, Ten Hag said via Manchester Evening News:
"I thought it was a good display against England but we are not surprised. We know what he is capable of he can very quickly adapt to high levels. It looks very natural and we are very happy for him."
He continued:
"Of course we are also very proud, it is great for the academy of Manchester United to bring up a player so young going into the national team, it's a big compliment for the whole club. For himself because he did it but also all the ones that worked with him during his time at the academy, it's very good news for Manchester United."
How has Kobbie Mainoo performed for Manchester United this season?
The 18-year-old midfielder is currently enjoying a remarkable 2023-24 football campaign with the Red Devils under head coach Ten Hag.
The Dutch tactician has continuously kept faith in the youngster, since handing him his senior team debut last season. Recall that Mainoo made a total of three appearances for United during the 2022-23 football campaign.
The England youngster has featured even more this season, making a combined total of 20 appearances across all competitions for United this season. Fourteen of those have come in the Premier League, while four came in the FA and two in the UEFA Champions League.
Mainoo has also managed a total of one goal and one assist for the Red Devils while also making his debut for the England national team.