Roy Keane has sent a harsh message to one Manchester United player following Ruben Amorim’s decision to overlook him so far this season.
Manchester United have achieved back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time under Ruben Amorim, following their 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield on the weekend.
Despite a mixed start to the campaign in both performance and results, this latest success lifts United to ninth place, only three points behind Manchester City in second.
However, consistency has been their main stumbling block over the past year, and this result will only be meaningful if Amorim’s men can build on it.
Their next test comes at Old Trafford against Brighton, a side that has proven difficult for United to overcome in recent seasons.
Keane sends harsh message to United outcast
Kobbie Mainoo came on as a second-half substitute against Liverpool, and that is beginning to become his role at United this season. The midfielder has started one game this term.
There has been much made of the Englishman’s lack of involvement although Roy Keane has suggested that Mainoo must do more to break back into Amorim’s best team.
Speaking ahead of the weekend win over Liverpool, Keane told Sky Sports: “It obviously seems to be a problem for Mainoo getting into this team.
“The word coming out is they don’t think he can cover the ground that quickly, but if you look at Man United’s other midfielders they’ve got, they’re not great at that either. As a young player, he has to suck that up and work hard, and when he gets a chance, he has to take it.
“A young player with good potential cannot be guaranteed a place in United’s team. But it will come down to the player himself. Your job every day, every week is to make sure the manager puts you in the team.
“He’s had opportunities recently, and when he’s come on and got opportunities, he just looks a bit short for me. I wouldn’t be scratching my head thinking, ‘Why is he not in the team?’ I can see why he is not picking him at this moment in time.”
Mainoo continuing to work hard
Mainoo’s performances from the bench have not been outstanding nor awful. As a midfielder, it’s difficult to have a significant impact in 10 or 15 minutes.
The things that the 20-year-old offers on the pitch are not always the kind of things that stand out, such as progression or the ability to keep things ticking.
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Keane is right that Mainoo should not be in a position where he has a guaranteed place in the United lineup, but he does deserve more minutes than he’s currently getting to show himself.
He is still working hard behind the scenes at Carrington and when he does come onto the pitch, and hopefully he will soon be able to get some starts under his belt.
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