Top News

Manchester United supporters are asking whether Kobbie Mainoo should begin the Premier League season in the middle of the park, with the youngster still not back for pre-season despite spending much of the summer on the sidelines at the World Cup.

Mainoo has already produced several standout moments for Manchester United: an outstanding first full Premier League start against Everton, a goal and Man of the Match display in the FA Cup final against their biggest rivals, and a winning goal against Liverpool towards the end of last season. Following Ruben Amorim’s exit, it had looked as though Mainoo had nailed down his role in United’s midfield under Michael Carrick, but that standing is now under pressure because of new arrivals, greater competition and what some see as questionable commitment.

After the controversial decision to give him no minutes at all at the World Cup — something that left many England supporters puzzled as Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson exhausted themselves — Mainoo has still not reported back for pre-season at his boyhood club. He and fellow England international Marcus Rashford are both expected to return on August 10.

Mainoo’s choice to take the full three-week rest period recommended by FIFA after England’s elimination from the World Cup has prompted debate among Manchester United fans, especially as finalists Lionel Messi and Leandro Paredes have already been spotted back at training with their respective clubs.

Some believe the midfielder ought to have returned earlier and be putting in the work, particularly after a summer in which he saw no action. Others feel he is fully entitled to the break, especially given the back injury he suffered before England’s third-place play-off against France. Other United players who are still away or returned later have faced less criticism because they carried a heavier workload over the summer.

Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha, both of whom featured regularly during the World Cup, were in training at the beginning of the month. New signing Youri Tielemans also arrived sooner than expected.

That raises the question of why Mainoo is putting his hopes of a starting place at risk with the Premier League campaign drawing ever closer. His delayed return becomes even more notable when considering the options in his position: new recruits Andrey Santos, who has caught the eye in pre-season, and Tielemans, who brings extensive Premier League experience, are both pushing for a place in midfield. Then there is Mason Mount, who appears to have rediscovered form after a spell disrupted by injuries and poor performances over the last few seasons.

Although he made only 12 starts in Manchester United’s most recent Premier League season, Mount’s impressive pre-season performances have reportedly led United to reconsider whether they need to bring in another midfielder. That could eventually work in Mainoo’s favour, but for now the real question is what chance he has of starting in Manchester United’s midfield against Hull on August 22.

Carrick is clearly a strong admirer of Mainoo, having worked with him since he was 13, but the competition he faced in United’s midfield at the end of last season was the woefully underperforming Manuel Ugarte rather than Tielemans or Andrey Santos. Even when Mainoo was in the side, Carrick recognised that there were areas of his game that still needed work.

Speaking to BBC Sport in February, Carrick said: “There’s things he can get better at, things he can improve on, but we haven’t really got started on that, because we’re letting him go to go and find his flow, find his rhythm of playing football again.

“He’s a fantastic footballer, and he’s got an absolutely huge talent.”

There is no real doubt about that level of talent, but the question is whether it will be enough for him to break into a Manchester United midfield strengthened by £83m of summer investment. By the time he shakes off a summer spent watching from the England bench, he may discover he is facing the red version of the same situation.