George Baldock’s Kylian Mbappe encounter whets appetite for Premier League return

The United man locked horns with Mbappe last month when Greece took on France, with the World Cup winner getting on the scoresheet only from the penalty spot - at the second time of asking - to net his 54th goal of the season and move him ahead of Just Fontaine to become the top French scorer in a single club and international campaign.

Mbappe and Co. were well shackled by Baldock and his teammates, with the United man facing the unenviable task of trying to mark Mbappe with the added handicap of a damaged ankle. Gus Poyet, the Greece manager, described the injury as “unimaginable” and praised both Baldock’s competitiveness and character as he continued to make an impression at international level, after making his debut for the country of his grandmother’s birth last summer.

“I loved it,” Baldock said of his Mbappe experience. “Like I do with all good players; I think it brings the best out of me, and I loved it. It was a surreal experience. I’ve never played in a game where 80,000 people stand up when one person gets the ball, expecting him to score, whether he’s on the halfway line or not. It was a fantastic atmosphere.

“He had that aura about him, even in the tunnel before the game and every time he got the ball there was a huge cheer. He scored in the end, a second chance off a penalty, but we were proud of our performance. I was really pleased, playing with the ankle as well, it was really good and defensively it was one of the best games that I have played.”

Such is Baldock’s respect and admiration for Mbappe that the Frenchman is the only player he has asked to swap jerseys with after a game. “I got his shirt but then he asked for mine,” Baldock said. “I joked with him, saying: ‘You’re definitely going to leave that in the changing room!’

“But he was respectful when we spoke after the game, saying ‘good game’. He seemed like a nice guy.”