Journalist reveals real reason why Mainoo is not a Man Utd starter under Amorim | OneFootball

Manchester United youngster Kobbie Mainoo is still waiting for his first Premier League start since the start of the season, as Ruben Amorim has been opting for other options in midfield.

The 20-year-old is immensely popular with the club’s supporters, who consider him one of the best players to emerge from the club’s academy in recent years, not to mention his heroics against Man City in the FA Cup final in 2024.

However, the midfielder’s meteoric rise to stardom has been halted since Amorim’s arrival in November last year.

Why Ruben Amorim has been reluctant to play Kobbie Mainoo

The young player has been left seething by his lack of playing time since the start of the season. Amorim made it clear that Mainoo will have to fight for a starting role against Bruno Fernandes.

Needless to say, the club captain has had the upper hand, with his Portuguese compatriot selecting him 16 out of 16 times ahead of the Englishman.

(Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

But since overtaking his skipper isn’t exactly a realistic prospect, it has been reported that in recent months that Mainoo could be transitioned into the No.6 role, where he might stand a chance against the ageing Casemiro and the underwhelming Manuel Ugarte.

The England international has made a few cameos in a deeper role, including one against Bournemouth on Monday. Therefore, he could be in contention for a starting role against Aston Villa on Sunday, as Casemiro will be serving a one-match ban.

But according to The Telegraph journalist James Ducker, Amorim doesn’t see a permanent future for Mainoo in this role. In fact, the manager considers the player ill-suited to the double-pivot altogether.

So, unless the 40-year-old ends up adopting a three-man midfield, the youngster’s chances of earning a permanent role remain very modest.

Is Mainoo capable of changing Amorim’s mind?

As evidenced by his first 13 months in charge, Amorim can be tactically stubborn, as he remains too fond of his tactical ideas.

However, the fact that the head coach is finally considering dropping his three-man backline in favour of a more traditional four-man defence shows that he’s willing to adapt, albeit slowly.

Therefore, the question is whether Mainoo has the patience and resolve to stay the course, keep his head down and continue working until he convinces his manager to rethink his stance and hand him the starting role many firmly believe he deserves.

In the meantime, Mainoo’s situation continues to attract suitors around Europe, with Napoli said to be leading the queue.