Manchester United star’s role has flipped in 10 months, Barnsley win showed incredible reminder

One Manchester United star’s role has flipped in under a year and the win over Barnsley showed an incredible reminder of that.

It was only ten months ago, in November 2023, when the majority of Manchester United fans flippantly dismissed the potential of Kobbie Mainoo starting games for Erik ten Hag’s side.

Despite impressing in the prior pre-season tour, the then-18-year-old suffered an injury setback, and some viewed it as too soon to push him into regular Premier League football.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Mainoo ended that season by scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, topping off an excellent individual season for him at Old Trafford.

After being a crucial player for United throughout the campaign, Mainoo was called up for the England squad at Euro 2024. He started four of their seven games and was one of the country’s best performers as they again finished runners-up, this time to Spain.

We’re now ten months past Mainoo’s full debut in the Premier League, and his situation looks very different. Those who had question marks over the unproven teenager now consider him one of the club’s top assets.

Perhaps the greatest reminder of Mainoo’s changing status at Manchester United came this Tuesday as Erik ten Hag’s men beat League One outfit Barnsley in their Carabao Cup tie.

That sort of game would have been perfect for a young Academy player like Mainoo, who was named on the bench for the match at Old Trafford in mid-week.

However, 19-year-old Mainoo would’ve reacted much differently to 18-year-old Ethan Wheatley after being an unused substitute in the game. Wheatley is in Mainoo’s previous position, trying to push his way into the first-team.

Mainoo, on the other hand, is already there. Being a consistent starter for club and country means that the Carabao Cup clashes he once would’ve strived to play in are now a much-needed opportunity to rest a young player who is already a crucial first-team star.

The England international’s debut for the club came in the Carabao Cup against League One side Charlton Athletic in January 2023. United’s latest outing in the competition showed how quickly Mainoo’s role has changed since he stepped out at Goodison Park in November last year.

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