Official: United star boy’s moment of pure genius wins coveted Premier League award for April

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has enjoyed quite the calendar year, turning his season on its head after the appointment of Michael Carrick as interim head coach in January. The shining light of Manchester United’s academy in recent years looked as though his days at Old Trafford could be numbered under the guidance of Ruben Amorim, who, for whatever reason, did not fancy the Stockport-born star as one of his starting XI. Mainoo was almost out the door, albeit on a loan deal, before Amorim was given his marching orders and Carrick reinstated him in the side alongside the experienced head of Casemiro. The England man has since enjoyed a wonderful run of form, culminating in him signing a new deal that will keep him at the Theatre of Dreams until 2031 at least. Wonderful run of form After an outstanding performance against Manchester City at Old Trafford in Carrick’s first game, it was clear Mainoo was going to play a huge role between then and the end of the season. It did take the midfield man some time to fully get up to speed after being frozen out for the best part of five months, but he has hit his straps in recent weeks and looks every inch the superstar he appeared to be when he burst onto the scene almost three years ago. Mainoo’s relationship with Casemiro, supporting the outstanding Bruno Fernandes, has allowed the 21-year-old to flourish in a role that has given him licence to get forward and produce some breathtaking moments in the final third. His clinical match-winning goal against Liverpool on Sunday might have been the crowning glory of them all, but that was not before a moment of pure genius that has earned him a prestigious Premier League award. Creative Moment of the Month In Manchester United’s previous game at Old Trafford, Mainoo set off on a run just inside his own half that saw him jink his way into the penalty area to set up Amad Diallo for what should have resulted in one of the goals of the season. Firstly, the young man showed incredible strength to hold and then shrug off Mikkel Damsgaard, keeping the ball under his spell whilst approaching Brentford’s 18-yard box at pace. Then, the drop of a shoulder and backheeled flick, almost in the same movement, saw him dance past two further opposition defenders and seemingly lay the ball on a plate for his Ivorian teammate. Unfortunately, Amad’s finish was cleared off the line by Sepp van den Berg, who somehow kept the scoreline at 0-0 after Mainoo’s dazzling run left supporters’ jaws on the floor inside Old Trafford and beyond. Despite it not resulting in a goal, it did play a part in Manchester United assuming their early dominance on the night and helped them race into a two-goal lead that Brentford could not overturn on the night, resulting in a crucial three points in the mission for Champions League qualification — a mission that has since been achieved. It also clearly caught the eye of Premier League fans who voted the run as the Adobe Express Creative Moment of the Month for April. The award has been running since the start of 2026, and Mainoo joins Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes, Tottenham Hotspur’s Dominic Solanke and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton as winners of the gong, respectively. Given his recent commitment to the club, Manchester United fans will no doubt be treated to more moments of Mainoo magic in the coming years, and the Carrington graduate can be extremely proud of his return to form that has been so welcomed by the adoring home faithful. Featured image Naomi Baker via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Conner Botterill Conner Botterill has been with The Peoples Person for three years. A lifelong red with degrees in Sport and Journalism and Philosophy and Psychology through the Open University. His favourite match attended was the unforgettable night in Paris in 2019 under the guidance of one of his idols, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Conner still believes he has a chance of making United’s first team through his 5-a-side career.