Mainoo probably ‘takes the p***’ out of Casemiro as Scholes, Butt tip him for McTominay repeat | OneFootball

Paul Scholes feels Kobbie Mainoo likely “takes the p***” out of Casemiro in training yet isn’t picked for Manchester United, as he and Nicky Butt are scared he’ll replicate Scott McTominay.

Were Ruben Amorim not United manager, Mainoo might be one of their best players by now. He was important when he broke through as a teenager, but in his third season, the 20-year-old has played just 273 minutes in all competitions.

He’s made no starts in the league, though Amorim stresses the midfielder is “seen as a starter.”

United legend Scholes feels Mainoo is likely doing enough to be starting games, and given his credentials, alongside the fact the Red Devils aren’t bossing sides every week, he probably should be.

He said on The Good, The Bad & The Football: “Ruben Amorim has said Kobbie Mainoo is a starter… every appearance he’s made in the Premier League has been as a sub. Things like that wind me up.

“I wouldn’t mind if he was in a good team and they were winning every week and keeping possession but they’re rubbish.

“Kobbie is a 20-year-old kid and he’s not playing, he’s going to have to leave. Do you know what will happen now? Amorim will bring him into a game and he won’t be great but that’s because he needs regular games.

“Fair enough, as a manager sometimes you just don’t fancy a player. But look at what he’s already done – scored the winner in an FA Cup final, played every game in the Euros.

“I bet he takes the p*** out of Casemiro every single day in training and is brilliant. I don’t know why the club are letting Amorim treat a homegrown talent like that.”

Fellow United legend Butt feels there’s a chance that Mainoo leaves and becomes a Scott McTominay type of player, immediately having big success wherever he lands.

“The Kobbie one is an absolute joke. I went to the West Ham game [a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford] and it was an absolute s***show. It was a terrible, boring game,” he said.

“The player to bring on to change the game, in my opinion, was Kobbie Mainoo – but he didn’t get on the pitch. He’ll be another homegrown player who leaves and is a superstar somewhere else.

“If Mainoo was playing for another Premier League club, United go and buy him for £70m or £80m. Now we’re going to sell him and he’ll be a superstar elsewhere like McTominay, [Anthony] Elanga, [Dean] Henderson – we can mention loads of them.”

Chelsea are one of the clubs linked with Mainoo and Scholes is advocating for him to move there.