INCE: KOBBIE STILL A LION IN WAITING

Klopp: Our key is consistency

MANCHESTER UNITED starlet Kobbie Mainoo must be given time to thrive, says Paul Ince. The Stockport-born midfielder burst onto the scene this year after an injury crisis pushed him up the pecking order.

And Mainoo (left) is now a mainstay in the United first team picture having produced some stellar displays in recent months.

His impressive performances led to calls for him to be included in the England squad. However, Gareth

Southgate opted to leave the rookie out of the senior ranks.

Retired midfielder Ince reckons the Three Lions chief has made the right call.

“Mainoo’s got the potential to become a very, very good player – but he’s still only 18 years old,” said Ince, who was capped 53 times for England.

“Sir Alex Ferguson used to put in David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, let them play a certain amount of games, and then take them out again.

Mainoo probably needs the same but he won’t be complaining. He can handle himself, that’s for sure.

“He seems level headed and not getting carried away with anything. He’s calm on the ball and looks like he’s been playing for many years.

“But these players get built up and then knocked down.

“People get a little too excited. I know he’s playing well, but club football and international football are totally different. He’s not quite there yet so let’s not put too much pressure on him.

“He’s a fantastic talent but there are lots of names ahead of him to play in that England midfield.

“It’s important for him to be in the England Under-21s to get that experience. He’s got time on his side to get in the firstteam squad.

“The main thing for him now is to be getting as many Premier League games as he can.

“I like midfielders who can attack and defend – and I think he can do both.

“We’re seeing Declan Rice do that at Arsenal now and Mainoo also has all the attributes to become a top midfield player.”

JURGEN KLOPP believes Liverpool have been able to ride out their injury crisis in style thanks to the club’s consistent approach.

Reds manager Klopp said: “Of course, it’s the (experienced) dressing room, but it is also the structure we set out on the pitch.

“You can see we don’t change the way we play and so the boys know what they have to do.

“The players have changed, but we haven’t. We play the way we want to play.

“That helps a lot. We did it from the first day of the season and it has made a lot of difference. That’s why we have been pretty stable.”