Kobbie Mainoo's thoughts on Paul Scholes clear after Man Utd legend's deleted rant

Kobbie Mainoo might have come in for criticism from former Manchester United star Paul Scholes, but the youngster’s feelings about the Premier League and Champions League winner are plain to see.

Scholes hit out at Mainoo and team-mate Alejandro Garnacho for their training ground attire, before swiftly deleting an Instagram story attacking the pair. “Don’t mind hats and gloves but no way can you train properly with your hood up… standards begin on the training pitch… bye!” the 49-year-old said.

Mainoo was just eight years old when Scholes played his final United game at the end of the 2012-13 season. An academy graduate himself, Scholes was an 11-time Premier League champion and a member of the 1999 and 2008 Champions League winning squads.

Some of Scholes’ finest moments might have come before Mainoo was even born, but the teenager has seen enough footage of the former England international. And he has made this clear when singing his compatriot’s praises in a fans’ Q&A.

When asked to name his dream midfield partner, Mainoo picked Scholes. However, he recognised the star’s attacking instincts could cause issues in the dream scenario.

“I’d say Paul Scholes, although there might not be a lot of defending happening between the two of us!” he said with a laugh. “But, yeah, Scholes. Scholes, definitely.”

When asked what he liked best about Scholes’ game, he said: “Everything. His passing, his movement, the way he could finish. His intelligence, yes, he was a great player.”

Scholes hasn’t been the only title-winner to take aim at Mainoo in recent weeks. Former United captain Gary Neville questioned the youngster’s first-half display against Liverpool, only for the youngster to respond in the best possible manner.

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Kobbie Mainoo celebrating his goal against Liverpool

“Look where Mainoo is there, he’s ahead of the ball on a throw-in,” Neville said during Sky Sports’ coverage of the 2-2 draw. “For a central midfield player I always think – and Bruno Fernandes, he had to run back.

“Forget about that [man-marking system], forget about [Alexis] Mac Allister, don’t be ahead of the ball. You can always get up to that one. He’s moving up there now, it defies logic and it’s the basics of the game.”

United were 1-0 down at the time but equalised through Fernandes before Mainoo curled home to put Erik ten Hag’s team in front. They couldn’t hold on for victory, but Neville was a big admirer of Mainoo’s goal.

“This game is absolutely mad, Manchester United from nowhere, but it is a thing of absolute beauty from Kobbie Mainoo,” Neville said. “He sets it out perfectly into that far corner, sets it up with his left foot, strikes it with his right, and the crowd have gone absolutely wild.”

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