Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho are highlighting Manchester United’s biggest strength and biggest weakness

During the warm-up at Luton, some of Kobbie Mainoo's teammates deliberately overhit ground passes. Every time, he cushioned the ball back to them.

Mainoo then attempted to playfully dribble the ball through the legs of Jonny Evans, a teammate twice his age. Mainoo is so unflustered it belies the age of someone who could be in their first year at university. Like students, he is partial to having some fun.

The 18-year-old's footwork belongs on the Blackpool Ballroom as much as a football pitch. More than once, Mainoo's shimmies drew 'ooh's from the home supporters in the main stand.

"Kobbie was very mature and I think he is progressing from game to game," Erik ten Hag said. "Hopefully, the process will keep going on."

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Mature is the key word. Mainoo has experienced atmospheres ranging from frenzied to febrile - Goodison Park, Istanbul, St James' Park, Anfield, Kenilworth Road - and passed almost every test.

Sunday was Mainoo's 18th appearance for United and already teammates need to watch and learn from him. Watching Mainoo at Luton, it was difficult not to recall Ten Hag's constructive criticism at Villa Park seven days earlier.

"We went in every situation for goal, instead of keeping the ball," he lamented. "We are 1-0 up and when you can't go for goal, recognise the situation, make decisions, keep the ball, drag them out and find the right moment to speed up. Clever players, they read the game."

Mainoo is very clever. He recognises and reads situations, keeps the ball, lures players in and times his passes expertly. He is yet to exhibit the passing range of Paul Scholes yet is more fleet of