Manchester United eased past FCSB and into the last 16 of the Europa League and, for once, were a genuinely entertaining watch.
Credit is due across the pitch as Ruben Amorim’s men won 2-0 in Bucharest but Kobbie Mainoo was the cream of the crop, playing further forward as one of the number 10s.
The 19-year-old thrived in the more attacking role, and repaid the manager’s show of faith with a goal, an assist and an all-round masterclass.
He missed a glorious chance to break the deadlock in the first half, but remained calm and collected to slot home United’s second with that same assurance that sunk Manchester City in last season’s FA Cup final.
No player had more than his two shots on target and he carried a constant attacking threat with the ball at his feet, attempting four dribbles and successfully beating his man with three of them.
The player rebuffed any criticism that he lacked creativity, delivering three key passes – this was only matched by consummate playmaker Bruno Fernandes, and the in-form Lisandro Martinez.
On a good day for United’s ball retention – six of the starting XI had passing success rates of 90% or higher – Mainoo shone, finding his man with 39 of his attempted 42 passes for a success rate of 93%.
He was also an important figure for the high press, winning two tackles over the course of the match and making one clearance. Only two United players (Fernandes and Noussair Mazraoui) made more tackles in an uncharacteristically dominant display.
And Mainoo led the way with duels contested, going toe-to-toe with his man 16 times and coming out on top six times.
Each of the duels was on the ground, with the young Englishman not being tested in the air.
Amorim continued his tinkering with the side by playing Mainoo as a 10 and Fernandes in behind as a deeper-lying midfielder.
It’s fair to say that the experiment worked wonders against the Romanian opposition, and while Premier League football is a notoriously different beast it certainly gives the boss something to think about ahead of Sunday’s clash with Crystal Palace.
All stats taken from sofascore.
Featured image Vasili Mihai-Antonio via Getty Images
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Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
