“We’re too quick to jump to conclusions” - Dimitar Berbatov fires warning to Manchester United star after impressive display against Everton
Manchester United legend Dimitar Berbatov has warned Kobbie Mainoo not to get carried away after he had an outstanding performance against Everton on Sunday, November 26.
Mainoo made his long-awaited return on Sunday after being sidelined for nearly three months due to a serious ankle injury. He made his first-ever Premier League start against Everton in the Premier League, helping the Red Devils seal an important 3-0 win.
The England U19 put in an assured, stellar performance as his side's No. 6, making a goal-line clearance as well. He is now expected to start for Manchester United in their next fixture against Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League later tonight (Wednesday, November 29).
This would put Mainoo above Sofyan Amrabat in the pecking order but Berbatov urged the 18-year-old to keep his feet on the ground. He said (via METRO):
"Lot’s of people are rightly praising Kobbie Mainoo’s performance. Let’s hope it’s the first of many because sometimes we’re too quick to jump to conclusions."
"Just let the boy be, let’s hope he’s going to continue on the path of his development and let’s hope he’ll have many more games like this. He’ll have difficult games in the future."
He added:
"It’s a good start. Let’s hope he’s in a good environment outside of the team – this is very important. Let’s hope he stays consistent. Some games he’ll play, some games he’ll be a substitute. But when the manager gives you the trust, try not to let him down."
"Let’s take it easy for a moment, it’s just one game! It’s a great start, but in the past, there were players with five great games, but they disappeared."
Berbatov added that while youngsters grabbing an opportunity is great, they need to work to maintain and build on it. He said:
"I’m very happy young players are given opportunities to show what they can do because they’re hungry. They are there ready to go. When the opportunity arrived in Mainoo’s case, he grabbed it. It’s a great base to build on."
"Now, the difficult part starts to continue on that road you’re building. You need to be obsessed with becoming the best in your position and to not let the manager down."
Mainoo has made four appearances for the Manchester United senior team, making his debut in the EFL Cup against Charlton Athletic in January 2023.
Manchester United handed double Galatasaray injury boost ahead of UCL clash: Reports
According to Turkish news outlet Sabah (via GOAL), Galatasaray could be without the services of Davinson Sanchez and Abdulkerim Bardakci against Manchester United. The Red Devils are set to face Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League away from home.
Sanchez has reportedly been ruled out of the important clash due to a strain in his upper left rear muscle. Bardakci could feature in the matchday squad but would need to pass a late fitness test after missing their last two games due to an unspecified injury.
The upcoming contest is a do-or-die for Manchester United. They are currently at the bottom of Group A in the Champions League with just three points from four games, having won one and lost three. They are one point behind second-placed Copenhagen but would need to avoid defeat today in order to keep their qualification hopes alive.