“Ready for a big season”: Michael Carrick’s World Cup gesture has fired up Kobbie Mainoo | OneFootball

1

Minutes will be at a premium when Manchester United take on AC Milan in their final pre-season game of the summer on Saturday.

Mason Mount was deployed in a deeper role alongside new recruit Andrey Santos as the Red Devils kicked off their pre-season tour.

The Englishman did impress but his injury has now forced Michael Carrick to change his midfield plans, with Youri Tielemans expected to start against the Serie A giants.

Kobbie Mainoo will also earn minutes after returning to the training camp recently after his World Cup exertions.

Disappointing World Cup for Kobbie Mainoo

It was a strange summer for the Carrington graduate. Carrick’s arrival reinvigorated the 21-year-old after the dark days under Ruben Amorim.

So much so that England manager Thomas Tuchel called up him for the World Cup, and at that point it seemed like the midfielder’s career had done a 360.

Kobbie Mainoo Stats: 2025/26 Season

25/26 season stats

Coming back from a World Cup in which your country finishes third should hand a player enormous confidence before the start of a new campaign. The reality was that the United No.37 did not earn a single minute while also suffering an injury before the third-place playoff.

Carrick, someone who has had to watch from the sidelines for his country as well, knows the circumstances behind his return.

Carrick had a word with Kobbie Mainoo during a difficult period

Plenty have opined on social media that the United star should have been happy to make the cut, but given the circumstances, it felt like Tuchel had definitely missed a trick.

“I was in contact with him quite a bit through the summer,” Carrick was quoted as saying by The Athletic. I’ve been in that position myself and not played at a World Cup, and I know from the outside you can look in and everyone goes, ‘You should be happy to be there’, and there’s a part of that, and not taking it for granted, for sure.

“But there’s the other part, as a human being and a professional, you want to be playing and so I’ve been there, I understand it. We all see from the outside the glitz, the glamour, all the positive side of football.”

Kobbie Mainoo had admitted that he was ready to run through a brick wall for Carrick, and the United legend once again put a comforting arm around his star player to ensure his confidence does not take a beating.

Kobbie Mainoo ready to deliver again for United

“Players are human beings and we all have our ups and downs, so it’s important that we support each other. He’s still such a young man and he’s achieved so much so far, so quickly, that to be at the stage he’s at is an achievement in its own right, but for sure it’s frustrating when you want to play and have an impact.

“In the end, it worked out as it is, but then he comes back and he’s quite happy to be home with us, and he’s been great this week, come straight back into it.”

Without commenting on Tuchel’s call, Carrick elaborated that Kobbie Mainoo was ready to prove his doubters wrong and was already showing that on the pitch during training.

“Everyone’s got their opinion. The biggest thing for me (is that) Kobbie’s in a really good place. He’s come home and he’s ready for a big season, and seeing him this week, it’s been great to have him back.”

It is fitting that Kobbie Mainoo will return to the pitch against Amorim’s new side. He has the chance to kill two birds with one stone and prove both managers wrong in the process.