Kobbie Mainoo Shows Paul Scholes Potential in Manchester Derby

Ryan Giggs believes Kobbie Mainoo is already showing shades of Paul Scholes after the youngster’s tireless display in Manchester United’s derby defeat to 10-man Manchester City at Old Trafford.

Mainoo played the full 90 minutes in the 1-0 loss on Sunday, holding his own in a draining midfield battle as United failed to make their numerical advantage count. The result stung. Mainoo’s attitude did not.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel, Giggs broke down what makes the teenager stand out in a struggling side.

“It’s not pace, it’s acceleration,” Giggs said, drilling into the details of Mainoo’s game. “So, he’s not quick-quick, but he has got that acceleration, and he’s, you know, strong physically. He’s a very, very good player.”

That burst over the first few yards, that ability to step away from pressure, is what caught the former United winger’s eye. But it was Mainoo’s vision that pushed Giggs towards a far bigger comparison.

Giggs drew a line straight to Scholes, highlighting the kind of passing range he believes Mainoo can develop. Asked directly if the youngster could ever reach Scholes’ level of vision, Giggs didn’t hesitate.

“Yeah, I mean, that should be the first pass a midfielder looks at really, you know, ball in behind that 30-yard switch potentially,” he explained. “That ball forward should be the first pass that you think about. So, if he adds that to his game, as well as the dribbling as well as the short passing, then who knows?”

The message was clear: the raw tools are already there. Add the long, incisive pass to an already composed, press-resistant style and United could have a midfielder capable of dictating games for years.

Giggs also underlined the sheer physical and mental toll of Mainoo’s role in the derby. United chased the game, City kept the ball, and the teenager refused to hide.

“I felt sorry for the last 10 minutes because he was still trying to do [too much]. He got the ball taken off him because he was still trying to do the right thing, and he just didn’t have the energy to do it,” Giggs said, pointing to a player pushing himself to the limit rather than going missing when legs and lungs began to fade.

That, for Giggs, is part of the story too: a young midfielder learning the hardest way possible.

“As a... central midfielder for Man Utd, he’s still young, he’s still learning the game, and he’s having to learn on the job,” he added.

United’s season may be lurching from one inquest to the next, but in Mainoo, Giggs sees something more enduring: a kid asked to grow up fast, in the middle of the pitch, under the brightest lights.