Southgate said: Kobbie has a chance for tomorrow. He seems very calm. Definitely you can see he is taking everything in. Talking to him tactically, he seems able to take all those concepts on.
There are a lot of steps being taken in a very short period of time but you saw in the brief cameo the other day some of the qualities he has.
I think also sometimes, with the really young ones, they are not even thinking about that. It is all flowing and maybe then as you get a bit older you start to think about it a bit more.
When you get even older you cannot care less about it and you go again. It is a beautiful, innocent moment when he is just in the flow. And lapping up the opportunities as they come."
However, Southgate was reluctant to compare Mainoo with former teenage prodigies Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.
He said: Those two were world stars at 17/18. Rooney before his first major championship was already in that stratosphere. Michael was propelled into that during the World Cup.
I played with both of those when they arrived. Wayne was one of the best we have had. Kobbie is still developing. But I am mindful that we have to look after him and make sure his development is at the right speed but the opportunities are there as well."