Manchester United Champions League winner Rio Ferdinand feels Kobbie Mainoo will need senior support around him to reach his potential.
Mainoo, 18, struck in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Liverpool.
Ferdinandn told his Five YouTube channel: 'You need the team to find some sort of consistency within a structure, and then I think you'll see even more, and then comes the winning element.
"But until you get that consistency of teammates, performance, structure, the whole 11 playing a certain way, and then he can build on what he's got now.
"He's playing off instinct at the moment, because that's what you do as a young kid. You try things, you're fearless.
"Next season will be the testing time, because people will know about him, and go "right, I've had time to watch him". Players study, they got enough data now, enough information to see.
"It's how he switches it up again next season. What does he do?
"But I do think any great young player, they do need the consistency and platform of a very solid foundation of a team, to be able to really produce their stuff. You'll see flashes, but seeing it consistently, you need that other stuff."
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