What role will Kobbie Mainoo play at Man Utd this season? Erik ten Hag drops Premier League hint after youngster impresses in Arsenal win

• Ten Hag praises Mainoo's performance
• Mainoo outshone Arsenal record signing Rice
• Man Utd boss hints at Premier League involvement

WHAT HAPPENED: Ten Hag lauded Mainoo's standout performance in midfield after United earned an impressive 2-0 win over Arsenal in their latest pre-season outing. Mainoo's composed display alongside Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount caught the attention of many, even when facing a formidable Arsenal lineup featuring British record signing Declan Rice.

WHAT THEY SAID: "It’s fantastic. Manchester United is famous for always bringing young players up and it can be done," Ten Hag told reporters when quizzed on the 18-year-old. "But we have to see. We have confidence, he [Kobbie Mainoo] is playing with confidence, and I really like his performance. But this year, he showed it in the spring, and then he got injured. We are really happy.

"There are more youngsters with us now and they’re all doing very good. But I don’t want to rise expectations too high. We have to see. The Premier League is tough but, definitely, you can see we have some really good young players who can play a role in the squad. But the bar is high."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: United have a storied history of nurturing young talent and giving them opportunities in the first team. Ten Hag's praise for Mainoo highlights the club's continued commitment to developing promising players. Mainoo will hope to continue impressing during United's U.S. tour in order to boost his chances of featuring in the Premier League when the 2023-24 season gets underway.

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WHAT NEXT: Mainoo will be in contention for more minutes when United face off against Wrexham in San Diego on Wednesday. Ten Hag's side will then wrap up their tour of America with fixtures against Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.