It took Manchester United fans just a few minutes of the Community Shield to notice something ‘very different’ about Kobbie Mainoo.
On Saturday afternoon at Wembley, United faced Manchester City in the Community Shield, just two months after their victory over City in the FA Cup final. Manchester City was missing John Stones, Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, and Rodri, who were still out of training after competing in the Euro 2024 final last month.
United’s young player Kobbie Mainoo also participated in the final in Berlin but was included in the starting lineup at Wembley after coming back from his summer break earlier in the week
Mainoo had a standout breakout season at Old Trafford last year, which earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the Euros. Although the 18-year-old didn’t start any of England’s group stage games, he provided valuable composure and ball progression during the knockout rounds.
Mainoo’s physicality was a concern last season, but just minutes into the Community Shield, United fans observed that he seemed to have grown and bulked up noticeably in just a month.
One United fan commented on X, “Mainoo looks huge? He might have made another physical leap this season.”
Another added, “Mainoo seems bigger every time I see him.”
A third fan noted, “Mainoo looks MASSIVE!”
The United academy graduate remained composed on Saturday, as United weathered some early pressure from City and gradually found their rhythm. After Oscar Bobb and James McAtee missed key opportunities for Pep Guardiola’s team, United had a chance to take the lead when Marcus Rashford, in a one-on-one situation, curled his shot well wide of the far post.
