Gary Lineker: Man United’s Kobbie Mainoo “should sue” Ruben Amorim | OneFootball

Former England striker Gary Lineker has joked that Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo should sue Ruben Amorim for almost wrecking his career.

New lease of life

Mainoo has emerged as the primary beneficiary of Amorim’s dismissal in December last year after 14 months in charge.

During his tenure, Amorim found it hard to find a role for Mainoo as he went about implementing his controversial 3-4-3 system.

Mainoo often found himself on the fringes, a situation which worsened at the start of the current campaign. During the closing stages of the summer transfer window, Mainoo asked the club to let him leave on loan. His request was declined.

His struggles for minutes persisted and it’s believed the player was strongly considering his options ahead of January. Mainoo failed to start a Premier League game under Amorim. His only start of the season came in the humiliating Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Grimsby Town.

Carrick’s arrival has been a turning point for Mainoo, who has started all four games and been instrumental in United’s perfect record.

Against Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend, he was sensational, the highlight of which was his clever assist to Bryan Mbeumo for the opener.

Ian Wright insisted that Mainoo has “embarrassed” Amorim and now Lineker has echoed this sentiment, joking that the Carrington academy graduate should consider initiating legal action against the Portuguese coach.

Lineker shocked at Mainoo handling

Lineker said on The Rest Is Football podcast, “Do you know what? If I was Kobbie Mainoo – and I say this in jest – I’d be thinking about whether I should sue him [Amorim] or not.”

“He’s taken a year out of that kid’s career. This kid is a wonderful footballer. God, he makes it look so easy. He wants the ball, he receives it with anyone around him and he turns, always makes the right decisions, he’s graceful.”

“I mean, come on! He’s been absolutely detrimental to his career.”

Lineker also backed Mainoo to be included in the England squad for World Cup 2026.

“If he doesn’t make the World Cup squad… and I sense he probably will if he can stay fit and if he keeps playing because he’s just a seriously good footballer.”

“I know his brother got in a bit of trouble for saying on the T-shirt, ‘Free Kobbie’, but he has absolutely got a point, his brother. What was he [Amorim] thinking?!”

“I say this [that Mainoo should sue Amorim] in jest, obviously, but I mean, come on! It’s so, so baffling that he couldn’t see how good that young man is.”

“I thought to myself, ‘Has something happened? Has he got above his station?’, but he’s come back in and you think, ‘No’, and he’s exactly what he was before, which was, when you think about it, arguably England’s best player in the Euros.”

Mainoo and United return to action on Tuesday when they go away to West Ham.

Featured image Gareth Copley via Getty Images

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