Fans at Old Trafford are really enjoying what the stadium announcer said after Kobbie Mainoo scored against Liverpool.
Alan Keegan, the voice of Old Trafford, shared a special message after Kobbie Mainoo scored the winning goal for Manchester United in their 3-2 win against Liverpool.
It’s been a big week for Mainoo, who signed a new five-year contract with United on Thursday (April 30), showing his commitment to the club for the long term.
The 21-year-old was once close to leaving his childhood club due to limited chances under Ruben Amorim, but everything changed after interim manager Michael Carrick took over.
Mainoo has started 13 of 14 games under Carrick, who had nothing but praise for the young midfielder this week.
“He’s grown a lot… getting better all the time,” Carrick said. “You can see he’s more confident, taking on more responsibility, and believing in himself. He keeps improving, and he’s done that really well.”
Carrick added, “We just gave him the chance to be his best self. And he’s done fantastic so far. There’s still plenty more to come because he’s young.”
Mainoo was in the starting lineup again for the match against Liverpool on Sunday and once again stood out. With 77 minutes played, he scored a brilliant winner from outside the box, sending the ball past goalkeeper Freddie Woodman with a calm finish.
Right after the goal, stadium announcer Alan Keegan made a special tribute. Instead of just saying Mainoo’s name as usual, he said he was “Manchester born and bred.”
This caught the attention of fans at Old Trafford. Tyrone Marshall even wrote, “Mainoo’s first goal since scoring against Lyon. Alan Keegan says ‘Manchester born and bred.’ What a week for him.”
In a 2024 Irish Post interview, Keegan shared a story about Mainoo and how he gave him that unique shout-out.
“I was introducing him when he got the Young Player of the Year award at United. We were waiting in the tunnel, and he was a great kid – Manchester born and bred,” Keegan said.
“I wanted to make sure I said his name right, so I asked him, ‘Is it Kobbie like Robbie?’ He laughed and said, ‘No, it’s like cob,’ like the bread roll. I joked, ‘Oh, I see, like the cob you eat.’ Then I asked about his last name, ‘Is it like the month of May?’ He said yes and we both laughed.”
Keegan also mentioned interviewing Mainoo’s brother during lockdown – his brother was on Love Island and told him to watch out for Kobbie’s progress at United.
“When I saw him play at Old Trafford, I thought, ‘This kid is amazing,’” Keegan said. “And that’s why United didn’t sign a midfielder that summer because they already knew about him.”
Keegan finished, “I was at the Everton game when he made his debut. He just walked around like he was relaxed, and I thought, ‘How good is this kid? How old is he?’ He’s truly outstanding.”