The day after a disappointing end for Manchester United—they gave up a late goal in a tie with Burnley, who are in danger of being relegated—I got to Manchester Piccadilly station.

The team has only four games left, so they are almost certainly out of the running for the Champions League. However, they are still in the running to make the Europa League. They are sixth in the Premier League right now. It’s one thing to beat teams like Aston Villa and Newcastle. It’s quite another to beat Manchester City, who used to play against them and are now on track to win the Premier League for a record fourth time. United is the only other team that has even come close to this.

Not far from the station exit is a busy restaurant that is known all over the north. When I ask the young man behind the bar about last night’s game, he shrugs. He is giving me my vegan banger roll. His only word for it is “disappointing.” Later, I ask a similar question in a strangely empty Starbucks, and his short answer gives me an idea.

As another barista slides me a mocha, one says, “The team is good; it’s just badly managed in my opinion.” There’s nothing bad to say about the staff. It seems like everyone in the city has something to say about it. They can be critical of management, talk about the effects of a string of major accidents, or say that the city is “blue,” which is Man City’s colour. 

Soon, it’s clear that everyone has an opinion about Manchester United, just like when stories about the Haçienda were at their peak. Even though they haven’t won a title since 2013, they are the most talked about and watched British football team. They won thirteen English League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson’s leadership. Father says that they were so important that they gave me the middle name Cole after one of their best forwards.

As I lift my bags into the hotel lift, the smell of the local ‘Spoons follows a shady-looking man who slides between the doors before they close. After a friendly “hello” from the north and a proud “I support the Red Devils!”, he starts to list his favourite players in a way that makes you wonder if you’re crazy for even asking. 

Anthony Martial, a forward who is 28 years old, is cool, collected, and quick, but he has been hurt a lot in his nine years with the team. A 29-year-old midfielder named Bruno Fernandes has been with the club for four years and has scored 79 goals in 230 games. He is both clever and great with the ball. Then there’s Marcus Rashford, who was on the cover of Dazed and is the pride of Manchester. He’s been praised by the press for both his on-field (131 goals in 399 games) and off-field (campaigning for free school food during the pandemic) accomplishments. 

After that there’s a surprise. a name who has only been playing for the main team for about a year. A name that he stated with joy even though the player had only played 30 times and scored three goals. “Kobbie Moo.” No, really, [Kobbie] is great. “What a great player,” he says. “However, you should not put too much stress on him.”

The fact that Mainoo is only 19 years old is shown by the way she smiles. His modesty balances out his growing reputation for being scary on the pitch. He has the gentle presence of a boy who is still growing up, with the hem of his oversized Balenciaga football shirt just touching his knuckles, à la Ariana Grande. 

Mainoo shows up with a small group of people who care about and support him, including managers, brand reps, and his two adorable and helpful sisters. They are more sensitive and caring as the pressure builds around their young star. 

We’re meeting the next afternoon at one of Sale’s local sports clubs, which is a lot like the ones he played in as a kid, spending hours going back and forth between home, school, and game sites. He always looks people in the eye and shakes hands firmly, but most interestingly, he shows no signs of the stresses that are put on him. There are no signs of ego growth, even though there are many reasons for them to be.