Man United legend Paul Scholes reveals why he is ‘worried’ about Kobbie Mainoo under Ruben Amorim – as Gary Lineker asks pressing question about the teenager’s situation
- Kobbie Mainoo has struggled to close recent games under Ruben Amorim
- Paul Scholes expressed his fears for the 19-year-old Man United midfielder
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Paul Scholes is concerned about Kobbie Mainoo’s legs and his inability to complete the 90 minutes.
Mainoo returned to Manchester United’s starting line-up for the 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Sunday, but was taken off after 72 minutes.
It means the 19-year-old has completed the full 90 minutes just once in United’s last five Premier League games under Ruben Amorim.
And it is a stark contrast to last season, when the central midfielder regularly completed entire matches under Erik ten Hag.
Amorim’s two-man midfield demands players bursting with energy and experts fear he will struggle to meet expectations.
“Mainoo with his legs has to be a concern,” Scholes told Premier League Productions when assessing who should play in United’s midfield. “He doesn’t finish many games.”
Kobbie Mainoo’s legs are a ‘concern’ in Man United’s intensive midfield, says Paul Scholes
The Manchester United star was regularly sent off under Ruben Amorim
Scholes expressed his fears for Mainoo, while Gary Lineker questioned why he is no longer playing
Michael Owen added: “He looks heavy, but hey, he gets very tired, doesn’t he? And it’s one thing that he’s an incredible player, but if there’s one thing about Mainoo, it’s that he can get around the field and he can sustain a full match with the high intensity that is required.
‘And then you look at the other alternatives. You have [Christian] Eriksen, that’s been going on for years. Casemiro, he has never been so mobile, but he is getting older for years.
‘So I think it’s still bothering you [Manuel] Ugarte and another. You will be left with Ugarte.’
Meanwhile, on Match of the Day, Gary Lineker asked: ‘Kobbie Mainoo back in the starting line-up, which begs the question why he hasn’t been playing more regularly lately?’
Despite the questions, there is little doubt that United’s duo of Mainoo and Ugarte put in a credible performance against Liverpool and allowed them to control certain periods of the match.
It was a clear improvement in Casemiro’s ailing midfield and Christian Eriksen started the 2-0 defeat to Newcastle last week.
Mainoo missed five Premier League games in a row after a muscle injury against Aston Villa earlier this season, and played seven games without starting.
Given his standout 2023/24 season and his age, Mainoo looks set to become a key player in the United team in the near future.
Manuel Ugarte and Mainoo formed a much improved midfield against Liverpool
As Fabrizio Romano said on his YouTube channel in November: ‘Kobbie Mainoo is a crucial player for the owners, directors and staff of Manchester United.
‘Ruben Amorim likes these types of players. Kobbie Mainoo, Leny Yoro… these types of players are exactly the direction he wants to take for the future of Man Utd.”
