Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has made a drastic move involving Kobbie Mainoo, which strongly suggests the youngster remains part of his plans.
Mainoo struggling under Amorim
Mainoo has played four games all season, but he’s only started one – the embarrassing defeat to Grimsby Town in the second round of the EFL Cup.
So far this term, Amorim has demonstrated a clear preference for the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte, and it appears that Mainoo is firmly at the bottom of the pecking order.
During the final stages of the summer transfer window, Mainoo officially requested United to let him leave on loan. The club declined. Amorim has admitted that Mainoo is competing with Fernandes for a starting spot but with the skipper’s importance and consistent fitness, the Carrington academy graduate faces an uphill task.
A January exit for Mainoo has not been entirely ruled and multiple suitors are believed to be keeping close tabs on his situation.
However, a recent report highlighted by The Peoples Person noted that Mainoo is fully focused on working hard to reclaim his spot in the team.
Now, The Sun reveal that Amorim is personally working with Mainoo, taking the midfield through “intense training sessions” to revive his Old Trafford career.
Amorim acts decisively over Mainoo
The Sun claim that a United source told them, “Ruben has been working with Kobbie on his defensive plays and skills, talking with him a lot about defensive commitment in order to try him alongside Bruno at some point.”
“Kobbie also has the ability to play as a number six, which is important since Casemiro has had some ups and downs, will be suspended, and (Manuel) Ugarte hasn’t fully convinced Amorim yet.”
“Kobbie’s athleticism and hunger to succeed are seen as very important by Ruben, and he is clearly showing him that he wants him committed and ready to help in any central midfield position, even now as a number six, since the team lacks impact in that role.”
The insider added, “Kobbie is a player Ruben likes a lot, but he also wants him to keep working hard, be ready to make sacrifices, and understand that opportunities and playing time will come over the course of a long season. Ruben trusts Kobbie’s talent and sees that he has been working very hard and giving everything in training lately.”
“He likes seeing Kobbie in ‘warrior mode’ lately and enjoys that he has developed this kind of mentality. Ruben loves Kobbie’s athleticism, football IQ, and skillset. He is challenging him to make him better and sees him as a strong option to play as a defensive midfielder in certain games and situations.”
“Ruben feels that using Kobbie as a six in some matches will help him become a better, more complete player and keep improving to reach his full potential.”
With Casemiro suspended for Saturday’s meeting with Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, the fixture represents an opportune moment for Mainoo to start and remind everyone of what he can do.
Brentford vs. United kicks off at 12:30 pm.
Featured image Shaun Botterill via Getty Images
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Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
