Kobbie Mainoo’s sensational last-minute winner continues incredible eight-year record for Man Utd
KOBBIE MAINOO’S last-ditch winner for Manchester United at Wolves continued a stunning record for the Red Devils.
The 18-year-old struck in the 97th-minute to seal a 4-3 victory at Molineux last night.
That was the England youth star’s first goal for the club that he has supported since childhood.
The magic moment occurred just seconds after Pedro Neto appeared to have snatched a draw for Wolves.
But Mainoo was having none of that, picking the ball up 35 yards out before beating one defender, nutmegging Wolves captain Max Kilman and then cutting on to his right foot to curl home past goalkeeper Jose Sa.
Both United boss Erik ten Hag and captain Bruno Fernandes were full of praise for the teenager afterwards.
And, remarkably, Mainoo’s goal continued a record set by former Red Devils whiz kids.
That means that the last three 90th-minute winning goals in the Premier League by players aged 18 or younger have all come straight from United’s Carrington academy.
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Alejandro Garnacho’s winner at Fulham in 2022 was the last time that the scenario unfolded.
While Marcus Rashford’s match-clinching effort away to Hull City in 2016 was the one previous to that.
It means the record stretches back eight years.
In fact, four of the last five 90th-minute winning goals in the Premier League by players aged 18 or younger have been for United, with Federico Macheda fifth in the standings from 2009.
Speaking to TNT Sports after his heroics, Mainoo said: “It is a dream come true.
“I have still not come down from it. I still feel like I am dreaming to be honest.
“To start playing in the Premier League for my boyhood club has been amazing. Now it’s about trying to win more games.”
Meanwhile, Fernandes said: “He is a big talent.
“I have seen him play for the under-18s and I said a couple of years ago the name of Kobbie without knowing if he would come and play for the first team.”
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