Manchester United boss Michael Carrick was full of praise for Kobbie Mainoo following his brilliant performance in the 4-0 win over Sabah FK.
United victory
Matheus Cunha gave United the lead in the 27th minute when he tapped home a cross from Patrick Dorgu.
Bruno Fernandes was on hand to double United’s lead soon afterwards, converting at the culmination of an excellent team move that originated with Bryan Mbeumo intercepting a wayward pass in midfield.
Benjamin Sesko rounded the goalkeeper and struck into the back of an empty net just before the break, all but securing the victory.
Lisandro Martínez added a fourth in the second period, converting from a scramble inside the penalty area to erase any remaining doubt over the destination of the points.
⚽️ Matheus Cunha (27')
⚽️ Bruno Fernandes (42')
⚽️ Benjamin Šeško (45')
⚽️ Lisandro Martinez (68')That's our idea of a very good night 👍 pic.twitter.com/JVEQU2qIcO
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 10, 2026
There were multiple exceptional displays, including Mainoo. Speaking to TNT Sports after the final whistle, Carrick lauded the midfielder while also giving his verdict on the team’s performance and the result.
Carrick’s verdict
Asked to name the best part about the evening, Carrick answered, “It’s nice to keep a clean sheet and obviously win the game. Some of the football we played was really good, dangerous on transition. I have to give them a lot of credit, they were difficult to play against.”
“The result looks comfortable; it wasn’t always like that. We just did a lot of good things tonight, which gave us a good result.”
He said about Mainoo, “He’s a fantastic player, it’s pretty obvious to see. He has a massive influence on our games.”
“He is a real joy to have, he wants to improve, he wants to listen and it is great to see.”
UTR 🇾🇪 pic.twitter.com/jpwoxBOZNM
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 10, 2026
On the connections developing in midfield, Carrick remarked, “We’ve got really good players. It’s nice to get Mason [Mount] and Andrey [Santos]. There are some good connections and we have played some good football through the middle of the pitch.”
“A lot of it is on wavelength and understanding of where each other wants the ball. Just understanding and developing is something we have done a bit more this season.”
“We haven’t had the perfect start but there are really good signs. It’s always nice to win the first [Champions League game] one at home.”
United are next in action on Sunday when they face Manchester City in the derby.
Featured image by Carl Recine via Getty Images
