Kobbie Mainoo explains Manchester United celebration vs Lyon in classy gesture to teammate

On another night, Kobbie Mainoo would have been the main story for Manchester United. The 19-year-old shone in his makeshift role as a striker, and produced a stunning effort that levelled the Lyon tie 6-6 on aggregate, and looked certain to salvage a penalty shootout after they had somehow fallen two goals behind.

A minute later, Harry Maguire was the headline when he headed in an unbelievable winner that sent Old Trafford into raptures and kept their faint Champions League qualification dream alive. United will need to be a lot better if they are to defeat Athletic Club and reach the final in Bilbao, but they will always stand a chance if they can match the same level of belief.

For all of their struggles this season, United are still united under Ruben Amorim. There is a togetherness and a cohesion, you only had to see Mainoo's euphoric celebration to notice that.

Kobbie Mainoo explains Manchester United celebration vs Lyon

The very fact Kobbie Mainoo was used as a makeshift striker highlighted just how desperate Manchester United were in the final few minutes against Lyon. After an injury to Joshua Zirkzee, they were left with just one senior striker for the remainder of the season, and Rasmus Hojlund is not exactly the most compelling choice.

Chido Obi will get opportunities in the Premier League before the end of the season, but with the teenage striker ineligible to feature in the Europa League, it might not be the last time we see Mainoo deployed as a striker. The 19-year-old finished like one with his ferocious effort into the far corner that drew United level 4-4 on the night, and he celebrated like one as well in a tribute to close friend Zirkzee.

As Mainoo ran off to celebrate, he pulled off Zirkzee’s trademark ‘gunslinger’ celebration that saw him fire imaginary guns with both hands. Taking to social media after the match, he added: ‘sending love to my shooter Zirkzee.’ It was only a week earlier Zirkzee had celebrated in the same manner himself when he netted against Lyon in the first leg.

In a recent interview with Inside United, the Dutch forward revealed the inspiration for his celebration came from the 2012 film Django Unchained. "It’s from the scene where he [Christoph Waltz’s character] teaches Django to shoot on the snowman," he said. "It’s the part where he’s practising shooting, so that’s where it came from. But over time, with emotions, you know when you score, you’re just happy… I just have to [do it]."

READ NEXT: 'Is a problem' - Ruben Amorim names key trait Manchester United lack after Lyon win