Gary Neville has ‘question marks over’ Man Utd midfielder now – ‘What is he?’ | OneFootball

Gary Neville believes that Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is struggling to be at his best without Casemiro.

The former Man Utd defender does not think that Mainoo has done well this season when he has played alongside Youri Tielemans or Andrey Santos in the middle of the park.

The Sky Sports pundit has said that the 21-year-old Man Utd star looked brilliant last season when he has the great Casemiro next to him.

Neville has urged the England international midfielder to consider his precise role under Man Utd manager Michael Carrick next season.

Gary Neville unsure about Man Utd midfielder Kobbie Mainoo

The pundit said on The Overlap: “He is a very good football player.

“I think that, I must admit when I saw him playing with Casemiro last season, I thought okay, they were in sync with each other.

“They understood each other.

“There was a level of thinking.

“I think Kobbie Mainoo right now when I am watching I think he’s doing well, but I still don’t think the right person’s alongside him.

“He was better with Casemiro, I think, last season.

“Casemiro obviously, his legs had gone a little bit, but just Casemiro, you could tell had been an incredible world-class player.

“Them two, the way we used to play with each other, pass with each other, combine with each other.

“For me, I thought, okay, he’s a top player, he is a top player, but I am not sure now when I watch him, and I watch Utd, particularly the defensive side of things, that I am seeing him with Tielemans and thinking, okay, that looks right, and when he played with Santos, I thought, not sure that looks right yet.

“So, I think he stills needs the partner, and I do think it happens.

“If you put Roy Keane with Juan Sebastian Veron, didn’t quite ever work that well, they were both like amazing players.

“If you put Roy Keane with Paul Scholes, it was amazing.

“If you don’t have the right partners, sometimes it can just not look right.

“So, I think Kobbie’s question is what is he, what’s he going to be for Utd this year?

“Is he going to be more of a holding discipline player or if Baleba comes in, is he is going to be one that goes forward a little bit more?

“So, I think there are still question marks over him because he’s young and he’s still not sort of developed properly, but he’s an excellent player, he’s an excellent player.”

Michael Carrick praises Kobbie Mainoo

While Neville might have “question marks” over Mainoo, Carrick has no doubt that the midfielder is superb, as he noted after Man Utd’s 4-0 win against Sabah at Old Trafford in the Champions League  on Thursday evening.

Carrick said: “He’s a fantastic player, it’s pretty obvious to see.

“The way he is performing, playing that bit deeper and connecting the attacks, starting the attacks and having a massive influence on our games.

“He’s a real joy to have.

“He wants to learn, to improve, to listen, and he expresses himself on the pitch and it’s great to see.”