BLAINE, Minn. ā Vito Mannone is a popular man around Minnesota Unitedās training ground these days.
After a recent practice, Mannone is one of the last players to leave the pitch. Engaged in a friendly match of soccer-tennis with teammates, he volleys and heads the ball over the net with a touch as skilled as any outfield player.
After securing a victory in straight sets, Mannone joined MLSsoccer.com to talk about his time so far in Minnesota.
The Italian goalkeeper, currently on loan with the Loons from English Championship club Reading, has been a key player during Minnesotaās current seven-game winning streak in competitive fixtures.
During that span, United have advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup and sit 4th in the Western Conference, currently on track for their best finish in MLS. Mannone has helped hold opponents to just eight goals while the Loons have scored 27 of their own.
āItās a great streak,ā said Mannone of his clubās form. āIāve been in other ones, but itās great to mix the cup and the league. The cup takes you to the semifinals, which is an important stage of the cup. Obviously, MLS is something important for us to gain points as much as possible to be up there for the playoffs.ā
Mannone entered Minnesotaās record books over the weekend as he completed his sixth clean sheet of the season in a wild 1-0 win over FC Dallas, a club record for shutouts. He downplays the importance of the individual honor, asserting that he and his teammates āhave done nothing yet,ā but admits heās feeling plenty āconfidentā in his play.
āWell, you expect it,ā said Loons manager Adrian Heath of his goalkeeperās confidence. āThe six clean sheets that heās had and the penalty save over the weekend wonāt have done him any harm.ā
In the six months since Mannone arrived in Minnesota, heās won the starting goalkeeper post and asserted himself as a āgamechanger,ā in the words of Heath.
āMy mentality has always been to be number one,ā Mannone said of his role within the team. āThatās what Iām trying to do now. Thatās why Iām trying to push myself every day ā to try and help the team, to try and be a leader for my team.ā
Mannoneās experience playing in the UEFA Champions League and as a regular starter in the Premier League has allowed him to become an impactful presence in the Loonsā locker room.
āHeās the guy that got me going when I scored my first [goal],ā said striker Mason Toye, who has been on a goalscoring spree of late. āAt a water break against Houston, he told me, āHey go get one. I believe in you.ā Ever since then Iāve been on a roll.ā
Though he has become a key player for the Loons, Mannoneās stay in Minnesota might be temporary: his loan deal from Reading is only a year long. He wouldnāt speculate on whether the move might become permanent, instead stressing the importance of his teamās current slate of games.
āRight now, Iām really focusing on [Saturdayās matchup against Real Salt Lake] and the next one, and the next one, and we carry on like that,ā he explained.
No matter his future, Mannone is happy with the competition heās facing each week in MLS.
āYouāve got tough games. From top to bottom, itās difficult games. Every game is a difficult game,ā he said. āItās very entertaining ā¦ MLS is a good mix of players: South Americans, Americans, the Europeans who come over, big stars. Itās good to face these challenges.ā
Those challenges have hardly been a match for Mannone in 2019. Heās third in the league in saves and tied for fourth in shutouts ā plus heās Minnesotaās current soccer-tennis champion.
āThatās the way I am,ā he said. āI want to win everything I play. I play like a kid.ā