Manchester United legend Michael Carrick has informed Ruben Amorim of two things he must do to get a tune out of Kobbie Mainoo.
Mainoo still finding his feet under Amorim
Mainoo has enjoyed a rapid rise at United since he made his first-team debut in January 2023, as a substitute in a Carabao Cup meeting with Charlton Athletic.
He followed that up with a breakthrough 2023/24 campaign, in which he cemented his place as a regular starter in Erik ten Hag’s team.
That term, Mainoo made 35 appearances across all competitions. He earned himself a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad and impressed as the Three Lions reached the final of the tournament.
But, Mainoo has been unable to build it and endured a frustrating 2024/25. A combination of injuries and poor form when available saw him struggle to nail down a regular starting berth under Amorim.
Amorim has experimented with Mainoo in the pivot, number 10 and even the false nine position of his 3-4-2-1 system, but he has yet to settle on a defined role.
Carrick tells Amorim to build the team around Mainoo
Carrick made an appearance on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast and said about the situation, “I think for a club to have a player that has come through the academy, knows the club and feels it — that’s massive.”
“To have a talent like that, as he’s already shown, you’ve got to say: ‘Right, he gets it, he knows it — let’s help him, build on him, and stick with him.’ I think there’s definitely a place for him.”
Mainoo wasn’t the only midfielder Carrick spoke about. He also shared his opinion on United skipper Bruno Fernandes, who came close to leaving and joining Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal earlier this summer.
Carrick of course knows Fernandes very well from his time as part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s coaching staff. Carrick also had a stint as caretaker boss and worked with the Portugal international.
Carrick on Fernandes
Carrick told Rio Ferdinand, “Yeah, I like Bruno. I work with him, with Ole [Gunnar Solskjar] and he’s fantastic. He’s got a real, he’s desperate to do well. He’s so keen to do well, and that’s a really positive thing.”
“And then sometimes, you can overdo it sometimes as well, and it’s such a fine balance. But his attitude, he plays every game, he never misses training, and he’s there all the time.”
“Puts himself out there, puts himself forward, and he’s been the main man, really, the talisman for some time. And when there’s moments or there’s something that’s needed, Bruno’s been the one to step up. I really enjoyed working with him when I did. He asks questions, he’s demanding, but he wants to do the right thing.”
Asked how he relayed instructions to Fernandes, Carrick answered, “He took it pretty quickly. He got it, he understood what it was. It’s amazing you get a feel for that with certain players. You would have had it when we were playing, some players come and grasp it and get it.”
“I understand the whole thing, because I think there’s a responsibility in United that it’s not just that little bit of football on the pitch. There’s a whole other world out there, isn’t there? There’s a responsibility, really, I think, in terms of behaviour and how you act and how you do things. And that was certainly from when I came through the door, that was almost thrown upon you.”
“You had no choice, but you made a deal with it. You don’t, and if you don’t, then see you later. And Bruno’s the type that he embraced all that straight away.”
On whether Fernandes would have fit into Sir Alex Ferguson’s legendary teams, Carrick responded affirmatively, indicating that the creative genius’s ability and attitude would have helped him slot in.
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
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!
