Kobbie Mainoo made his fifth consecutive start for Manchester United in the match against West Ham , and even though it was a difficult evening for the club, he continued to impress.
Michael Carrick has quickly come to rely on Kobbie Mainoo, making him one of his regulars early on.
That's a far cry from when Ruben Amorim would give him limited minutes just to keep fans happy, even though that didn't really work.
It's strange that he was left out for so long without explanation, especially now that he's shown Amorim up more than once. We might never find out why it happened, but Mainoo has already made it clear who was right.
But against West Ham, this one felt like it belonged to a different manager altogether—one who had previously overlooked Mainoo and probably knew exactly why the midfielder played the way he did.
The result puts an end to United's winning streak, but given how well Nuno Espirito Santo's side defended, it might still be seen as a valuable point.
Mainoo, though, was one of the few bright spots. He put in another solid performance, with England manager Thomas Tuchel watching from the stands – likely there to keep tabs on the 20-year-old midfielder.
With World Cup selection decisions coming up, Mainoo's current form makes a strong case for his inclusion in Tuchel's squad.
Even though it wasn't his best game, there were still a few things Mainoo did that would have caught Tuchel's attention and strengthened his World Cup credentials.
Mainoo kept things moving in midfield with his calm passing and decision-making. He kept possession ticking over and distributed the ball efficiently to United's more attacking players.
He also showed his energy without the ball. Mainoo worked hard across the pitch, picking up loose balls and never shying away from a challenge.
Mainoo almost added another assist to his tally when he set up Casemiro with a pinpoint cross, only for the goal to be disallowed due to a narrow offside call. Even without standing out overall, those moments highlighted qualities that could be valuable for England moving forward.
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Mainoo, even in the face of a poor team performance, put in another strong display. His energy and composure stood out, especially with Thomas Tuchel watching from the stands. The England boss is finalising his World Cup squad, and Mainoo's current form makes him hard to overlook.
Tuchel was there to see it for himself and although it wasn't Mainoo's best showing, he still did enough to make a case for inclusion.
On the ball, Mainoo dictated play for United as he reliably knocked the ball around and controlled the game from midfield, giving it to his attacking teammates.
Off the ball, Mainoo continued to showcase that he is all-action in midfield as he won duels, made lots of recoveries, and ran relentlessly.
He came close to picking up a third assist in five games too. His delivery found Casemiro's head before the goal was ruled out by a narrow offside call. Even on an average day by his standards, those are three things that will have caught Tuchel's eye again.
Mainoo hasn't been involved with England since Euro 2024, but this international break should change that.
The England boss said: "He's lacking minutes. I don't think he lacks anything else. He has the experience, the power, the quality, the talent to be on our list – he is on our list – but in his position No6, No8, No10 we have players in full rhythm and play key parts in their clubs."
Kobbie Mainoo is finding rhythm now at Old Trafford – fitness isn't an issue anymore – so there aren't any more excuses left not to pick him.
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