Alan Shearer Exclusive: Kobbie Mainoo must leave Man Utd | OneFootball

Alan thinks Mainoo must leave Man Utd

In this Betfair exclusive our ambassador Alan Shearer discusses Kobbie Mainoo's Manchester United future, the pressure on Tottenham's Thomas Frank and the greatest Premier League manager ever...

Mainoo must get out of Man Utd if he doesn't play

Clearly the Manchester United manager doesn't fancy Kobbie Mainoo. Ff you can't get into a team when they're really struggling, then there's an issue. And I guess it looks from the outside as if a move would be better off for all parties.

This is not the first time we've seen Manchester United players not fitting into what Ruben Amorim wants. He hasn't been afraid to let them go out on loan or sell them. And that looks as if it's going to be the case for Mainoo.

I'm not inside the club, so I don't know what Mainoo's attitude is like, but from the outside it looks like it would be best for both parties if he could get out and play some football. Whether that's on loan or on a permanent deal, then we'll have to wait and see. But clearly, if you're not playing, you have to look at the situation and get out.

Man Utd board won't be happy with Fernandes' comments

Where would Man United be without Bruno Fernandes? He's been the shining light in a really sticky period for them. He has stood out and carried them at times. So it was really interesting hearing him say that he felt as if perhaps the board weren't as keen to keep him as the manager was.

And I guess that's what happens more and more nowadays when players have got more opportunities to talk because of social media and more opportunities to get their point across. I don't expect the board, or the owners, enjoyed listening to him say that in the week.

Amorim rethink improved Manchester United

Amorim has been so stubborn, adamant that he's never changing that system, but he tweaked it last week and there's no doubt Man United were much better in terms of energy, belief and understanding of what they were trying to do.

I know they were poor defensively in the 4-4 draw against Bournemouth, but in terms of bringing different things to the game, they were a lot better, and it was one of the games of the season. So, despite all his frustrations and reluctance to change, he did and it worked. Let's see what he does this weekend.

It will be tough for United losing Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo to AFCON, but you have to live with it. Over the years, Man United have had such a great pool of players that they've not felt the impact of it when it has happened.

But this time they will, along with, I guess, Sunderland, because they're losing two of their biggest hitters who have been playing on a regular basis for Man United.  It'll be a blow to them and interesting to see how they cope.

Frank can't afford a battering against Liverpool

Saying Thomas Frank is on borrowed time at Tottenham is too strong. But under pressure? Absolutely. They're doing well in the Champions League. I don't know where fans expected Spurs to be but they're right around where I expected them to be. I probably had them in seventh, eighth, ninth, something like that. And I think that's where they'll end up. I don't see them being any better than that.

They've got injuries - Kulusevski, Maddison, Solanke, to name a few - and it's very difficult to go from where they finished last year to getting into Champions League places. I'd say exactly the same for Man United.

The last thing Spurs and Frank need is another hammering against Liverpool on Saturday. There's enough noise at the minute because of being battered by Nottingham Forest last weekend.

The last thing you need is to come back and be battered again, particularly at home, off a team that has been really poor this season by their own high standards. So, Frank and Tottenham can't afford a big defeat now.

It has been a couple of good results for Liverpool and Arne Slot, for the first time, won't have to answer any more Salah questions. He'll be delighted to focus on the game. Liverpool have to keep it going. They have to win another league game, which won't be easy.

Spurs seem to have picked up a little bit of home form as well, I guess. But you just never know what you're going to get from both teams. That's been a feature of both clubs' seasons so far, so it's a difficult one to predict.

Isak has felt the pressure of Ekitike performing

Ekitike has been the signing of the season for Liverpool, there's no doubt about that and I think with all the noise that's gone on at Liverpool, the Frenchman is the one who's sailed through it. He has done well from the off.

Even in the Community Shield, he's been consistent, delivering performances, scoring goals. And there has been a lot of noise at Anfield this season for obvious reasons, both with Salah and Liverpool's performances and everything else. I guess he and Szoboszlai are the only ones who have played well regularly.

In a way Ekitike's form has made Isak's harder to come by. There's enough pressure on you anyway, when you've been bought for big money, when you've gone to Liverpool in the circumstances Isak did. But when the guy who costs less than you is doing a lot better than you, that puts more pressure on you. And I'm certain that Isak has felt that way.

Maresca's comments on Chelsea board are fishy

Enzo Maresca has done a very good job in difficult circumstances at Chelsea. And there's no doubt that clearly his words after the game last week were directed at someone above him.

Whether that was multiple people or an individual, it was definitely directed at people above him who are the Chelsea decision makers. He kept on saying he was adamant it wasn't the fans. It's definitely not his players.

They've won two cup competitions, they're in the Champions League, and I guess he felt as if he wasn't getting the protection that he needed in a difficult club to manage. But you know that before you go into Chelsea - how they operate, how they run and what they demand from you.

I know how football works. One week Maresca is saying that and then five days later, it comes out that it is a possibility that Pep will be leaving Man City. Six hours after that, it emerges that there's a possibility that Maresca is high on the list of potential targets for City. I know how football works and how it operates. So, I guess it doesn't surprise me. There might be a collaboration, something going on between Maresca and others.

Guardiola may be greatest manager of all time

We're just speculating and guessing because Pep hasn't come out and spoken yet about his future. Maybe he'll get questioned on that in a press conference. But the one thing you can say is that what he's achieved has been unbelievable. And it looks as if they're just starting to boil at the right time this season as well, with results and putting pressure on Arsenal at the top.

But whatever happens with Pep, whether he stays or goes, I guess the argument would be between him and Sir Alex Ferguson, about who's been the greatest of all time. And you'd have to put a pretty good argument up to go against Pep after what he's won and what he's achieved.

Celtic should have stuck with O'Neill

In hindsight, Celtic should have stuck with Martin O'Neill instead of appointing Wilfried Nancy. I've worked with Martin and his simplicity is genius. He's a great people person. He's great at putting square pegs in square holes and keeping things very simple. But I think from looking in from the outside, Nancy has changed the system.

It's a similar situation to what to what is happening at Man United, I guess, that the manager has been stubborn and is not going to change after losing four out of four. He has put himself under huge pressure.

And it is more difficult for Nancy because of what Martin did. As a manager, you always want to go in and try and stamp your authority straight away. But there's ways of doing that.

Just ripping everything up that was relatively successful for seven or eight games for Martin, and then going in and completely changing the system, which Nancy has done, was always going to be a big gamble.

Now he's saying "trust the process and we'll get it right." But it's an unforgiving place up there. And if you don't get it right pretty soon, then you know what's going to happen.

The noise is already loud. If Celtic don't get a win in the next one or two then you know what could happen.

You can't have five or six defeats on the spin up there. I don't care whether you're a new manager or an old, experienced manager. That's just a no-no and it can't happen. You know what will happen if it does.