Gareth Southgate drops Kobbie Mainoo hint ahead of England debut vs Brazil

Kobbie Mainoo is likely to make his debut for England in the next few days as Gareth Southgate prepares for the team’s match against Brazil.

Although he was not included in the initial England squad, Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo has forced his way into Gareth Southgate‘s team as they prepare for the European Championships in Germany this summer.

England are set to face Brazil and Belgium in the coming days, but there are a few injuries in his current squad, with Harry Kane, Jordan Henderson, and Cole Palmer all unavailable.

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Mainoo was called up to the squad once he had arrived with the U21s at St. George’s training facility, and Southgate had hinted that he “will not hesitate” to play Mainoo against Brazil.

“He has integrated perfectly into the squad. His level of training is excellent,” Southgate told reports on Friday when asked how Mainoo had settled in with the team. “We won’t hesitate to put him on the pitch.”

Speaking further, Southgate also explained that the upcoming friendly games were the perfect chance for players outside the usual suspects to prove their performances against top international teams.

“It’s a brilliant opportunity for other players,” Southgate said. “We need to see other players ahead of the Euros.

“If we were playing lesser teams, you’d still have that little question in your mind [asking] if they played well, how are they going to be against the next level of opposition? So, from our perspective, it’s a great exercise and a great opportunity, really.”

This drops a huge hint that Mainoo will make his debut for England on Saturday evening at Wembley Stadium, as Southgate will want to see how Mainoo adapts and copes with the pressures of playing for his country against some of the best players in the world.