Manchester United star praised for “brilliant” performance vs FCSB, Rúben Amorim must stop dropping him

Kobbie Mainoo has been praised for his “brilliant” Europa League performance against FCSB on Thursday evening, scoring and creating in a 2-0 win over FCSB.

Manchester United concluded the league stage of their Europa League campaign with a composed 2-0 victory over FCSB, as Rúben Amorim’s side managed a tense encounter in Romania to seal their place in the knockout rounds.

United started brightly, looking to dictate the tempo from the off, with Kobbie Mainoo and Rasmus Højlund making dangerous runs in the final third. Despite some early deliveries into the box and a promising chance for the Danish striker, the Reds were unable to break the deadlock, heading into the interval level with their Romanian hosts.

At the break, Amorim introduced Amad and Alejandro Garnacho in place of Toby Collyer and Tyrell Malacia, a decision that almost paid instant dividends as Garnacho struck the post moments after his introduction.

The breakthrough came on the hour mark when Diogo Dalot arrived at the back post to convert a superbly worked move, with Mainoo providing the decisive assist. The young midfielder then turned goalscorer himself, doubling United’s lead with a composed finish to cap off an excellent display.

With a two-goal cushion and full control of proceedings, United saw out the match with professionalism, securing a clean sheet and confirming their progression to the Europa League knockout rounds after finishing third in the group stage.

Mainoo praised for “brilliant” performance

For the first time since he joined the club, Amorim chose to play Mainoo in a more attacking role, with the player starting on the left during the first half and shifting to the right after 45 minutes.

The English midfielder was fantastic, looking lively on the ball and playing some brilliant passes, creating Dalot’s opener before notching a second himself later on.

Former Premier League midfielder and regular pundit Robbie Savage had his say on Mainoo’s performance, explaining he feels Mainoo is better as a No. 10 and put in a “brilliant” display on Thursday evening.

“You know, I don’t think he’s a six in this Manchester United team,” Savage started. “And the argument is, is he a ten? Has he got it in him to be a ten? Is he defensively good enough to be a six?

“I think he has to play in a [front] three. Obviously Manchester United don’t play that. You know, he’s probably an eight. But he almost played in a [front] three today, didn’t he? Yeah, he did, because Ganacho kept going out to the left-hand side.

“I think Kobbie Mainoo, for me, is a ten in that team. But listen, he can play as a six, of course he can. I think in tighter areas, he’s really good. And you see him running the first half, when he had the volley, he had the chance over the bar.

“He’s created a goal, he’s scored a goal. So he’s a man. I thought Kobbie Mainoo was brilliant tonight.”

Amorim must stop dropping and taking off Mainoo

Towards the end of last year and the start of 2025, Mainoo was starting many games alongside Manuel Ugarte in the midfield two, but it felt as if he was being asked to cover too much ground and do too much defensive work.

Read More: Manchester United’s five things noticed as Rúben Amorim made a “perfect” choice vs FCSB (Europa League)

It headed to the point where Amorim himself started taking the player off early, as he played fewer than 70 minutes on multiple occasions, before the 40-year-old dropped him from the starting XI all together against Rangers and then Fulham last week.

However, Mainoo’s performance in the No. 10 role has proved that United play better when he’s on the field. Although many have asked for him to play on the left, he worked so well on the right, combining with Amad as a right wing-back.

Playing Mainoo on the right and Amad as the wing-back also allows Noussair Mazraoui to play as a right centre-back, who had a fantastic performance in his own right.

It’s a structure that Amorim should look to trial in the coming weeks as he aims to save United’s dire Premier League position.

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