On Sunday, Kobbie Mainoo became Manchester United’s youngest-ever Premier League starter against Liverpool.

Erik ten Hag chose the 18-year-old to fill the midfield vacuum created by the suspended Bruno Fernandes, and he did not disappoint.

In a hostile environment, Kobbie remained calm and composed, and with the exception of one mistimed sliding challenge in the first half, he rarely put a foot wrong.

Ten Hag, who congratulated the midfielder after the game, is a big fan of the Academy graduate.

“If you are good enough, you are old enough,” said the boss in his post-match media briefing. “He proved that.

“When he gets used more often to those games, we will get even more joy from it. Because then his scanning and his speed of action, he can get such passes, three or four passes in and get switches in, and he is a player who can really hurt opponents.”

Mainoo was one of six Academy graduates who saw action against Liverpool, with Alejandro Garnacho and Jonny Evans also beginning and impressing, and Scott McTominay captaining the Reds for the first time in league competition.

Marcus Rashford and Hannibal both came off the bench in the second half, as did Willy Kambwala, who is yet to make his senior debut, and Dan Gore.

With the FA Youth Cup taking place at Old Trafford on Tuesday – Garnacho, Mainoo, and Gore all won the competition for the young Reds in 2022 – there is a chance for additional youngsters to make an impression.