Ten Hag could unleash new Paul Scholes to partner Mainoo at Man Utd

Ten Hag could unleash new Paul Scholes to partner Mainoo at Man Utd

Manchester United are known for giving the youth a chance, with Erik ten Hag continuing that tradition this season.

The Red Devils’ 3-0 win over West Ham last weekend saw Alejandro Garnacho net another brace, with the 19-year-old being a prime example of that.

Kobbie Mainoo is the latest Carrington graduate to have thrived in the first team – starting all of the last four games – but who could be up next?

Mainoo’s future partner at Man Utd

A certain Daniel Gore has developed into one of the most promising talents in the United Academy since joining the club in 2021, and his time at the club has been extremely successful.

Gore starred during Man Utd’s FA Cup Youth triumph as a 17-year-old, alongside Garnacho and Mainoo. This pre-season, Ten Hag handed the midfielder plenty of opportunities, where he even picked up an assist against Lyon.

A week later, the 5 foot 7 gem was handed the captain’s armband by Ten Hag in a youthful United team against Wrexham, however, it all ended in tears after Gore was sent off just after the break.

Since then, the now-19-year-old has made his competitive debut for the first team and his Premier League debut, coming on as a substitute against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.

The youngster has just joined Port Vale on loan to gain experience in the men’s game, where he has started once in a 1-0 loss to Portsmouth at the end of January.

Man United’s future midfield

Mainoo has firmly cemented himself as one of the first names on the team sheet this season, and it looks as though United have a midfield maestro that will dominate for years to come.

However, what will further excite the United faithful is that Gore could become a long-term partner for Mainoo. The duo have already played plenty of games together in the youth setup, with Gore speaking highly of the number 37:

“Kobbie is a top player and a good lad as well. We work well with each other. If one is out of position the other will fill in. We have a good connection, and we know each other very well.”

Nonetheless, the table below shows us a glimpse of his play style via his statistics against Crystal Palace earlier this season, which led to him being called “excellent” by analyst StatmanDave.

Gore vs Crystal Palace

Stats

Gore

Minutes

29

Touches

33

Passes (Pass accuracy)

25/27 (93%)

Key passes

1

Possesion lost

5

Stats via Sofascore

As shown, Gore himself is a very technical player who can operate across the midfield comfortably. His ability on the ball would make him perfect next to Mainoo, and with the duo already having a telepathic connection, the transition into first-team action would be seamless.

Despite being so young, his maturity and assurance on the ball are impressive, and his reading of the game is also top-class. That said, unlike Mainoo, who is extremely composed, Gore seems to play with more aggression, with his bust-up in training for a challenge on Anthony Martial highlighting that.

Small stature, extreme technical ability, progressed through the academy, and the intelligence to be one step ahead of the game are all traits of Gore, but that description sounds familiar to a certain United Legend.

Potentially Gore could become the next Paul Scholes, a man who made 718 appearances for the Red Devils and won 11 Premier League titles during his career at Old Trafford.

Sir Bobby Charlton once said of the redheaded midfielder: “He’s always on the ball, always turning on goal. He’s always looking to bring other people into the action and if he loses possession you think he must be ill.”

It will take a lot for Gore to live up to that but his attributes mean he is surely well-placed if and when he earns more regular first-team minutes.