Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo has revealed his side had to stay composed after racing into a 2-0 lead in Saturday’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
A defensive mix-up involving Josko Gvardiol and Stefan Ortega allowed Alejandro Garnacho to score an easy opener in the 30th minute and Mainoo doubled their lead soon after, finishing clinically from Bruno Fernandes’ assist.
The Red Devils were put under intense pressure during parts of the second half and eventually conceded when Jeremy Doku beat Andre Onana at the near post, but the Premier League champions couldn’t force an equaliser as United won their 13th FA Cup.
Asked what was key to their efficient second-half performance, Mainoo told ITV Sport: “Just not getting carried away with ourselves. We have to be humble and respect them.
“They can do a lot of danger to us, especially coming out into the second half, so we just had to keep our heads and keep together.
“It has been a tough season and luckily we have had the fans behind us the whole way. In a game like this we have to come together. It has been our light at the end of the tunnel, so we had to come together.
“The FA Cup is such a historic trophy and to have done it in this game, in a derby, there is nothing sweeter.”
Mainoo scored impressive goals against Wolves and Liverpool earlier in the 2023/24 campaign but admitted he had little recollection of the strike that put a hand on the trophy for his side.
He added: “To be honest, it was such an amazing moment I can’t even remember it! I remember making a run and sliding it into the corner – that’s about it.
“The quality he has [Fernandes]he sees things no one else can. I tried to shout him and didn’t know if he could hear me, but he just found me in the right spot and I was able to finish it.”
