Rúben Amorim has opened up on why he could finally start playing Kobbie Mainoo for Manchester United after a tough start to the season.
Manchester United have bounced back from a sluggish start to the season, securing 10 points from their last four Premier League matches.
Much of the Reds’ recent success has come thanks to summer signings Bryan Mbeumo and Senne Lammens, both of whom have been key contributors.
Despite this upturn in form, questions remain over the futures of a few United players, particularly Kobbie Mainoo, who is still finding it difficult to break into the starting XI.
Mainoo requested a loan move during the closing stages of the summer transfer window, but the club denied his request, leaving him to compete for a place alongside captain Bruno Fernandes.
More games means Mainoo minutes, says Amorim
With United out of the Carabao Cup and having failed to qualify for European football this season, Mainoo has not started any of United’s ten league games. Although he is the third choice behind Fernandes and Casemiro, one game a week makes it almost impossible for him to play.
Speaking with beIN Sports ahead of the Spurs clash, Amorim admitted that while he is using the extra time with the players on the training ground to instil his ideas and style of play, those such as Mainoo, who are training well, deserve to play but can’t.
“Every minute we are using to prepare the future with a lot of games and less training,” Amorim said. “We are giving a lot of information, we are working on our fitness because we need to keep momentum during the week with good training, really intense.”
“When you have more games, you are just concerned about recovery. We suffered a lot from last season. People forget we played two and three days all of the time, and that was really hard for us. But then you have the other side.
“I see Kobbie Mainoo training today, and he deserves to play, but then I have to take one guy [out] that’s playing really well. We should have played in the Carabao Cup, because I need to see Kobbie Mainoo playing, I need to see Josh [Zirkzee], all of these guys deserve to play, but in the end, it is one more game you need to make choices. So you have both sides.”
Mainoo will get minutes after the international break
Mainoo will not start against Tottenham this weekend, as Casemiro continues to play well and Fernandes is almost entirely undroppable. However, following next weekend’s international break, United will play midweek Premier League fixtures.
This, combined with Amad, Bryan Mbeumo, and Noussair Mazraoui heading off to the African Cup of Nations in mid-December, means Amorim will almost certainly hand Mainoo starts.
There are three positions that the 20-year-old could play. Mbeumo and Amad leaving means the right-sided forward position is available. At the same time, Mount could be used there, and if Matheus Cunha plays some games at striker, Mainoo could start on the left.
There is also the possibility that Fernandes may be given a role closer to the goal on the right flank, which would leave space alongside Casemiro in the midfield two. This may be a more natural position for Mainoo.
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