Man Utd star ‘could be scared’ of Ruben Amorim after Alejandro Garnacho treatment

Amorim exiled one player who dared to challenge him (Picture: Getty Images)

Paul Scholes has urged Kobbie Mainoo to ‘bang on Ruben Amorim’s door’ and demand answers over his role in the Manchester United team – but suggests the midfielder could be ‘scared’ of the repercussions.

Mainoo has started on the bench in each of United’s four Premier League games this season having been told he is in direct competition with club captain Bruno Fernandes for one of two midfield roles.

The England international asked to leave the club on loan in the final week of the summer transfer window, a request denied by United.

Injuries to Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount opened up spots in the team for Sunday’s Manchester derby but again Mainoo, the only Mancunian in the United squad, was among the substitutes, coming on in the second-half.

Ahead of the derby, Amorim insisted he still believes in the 20-year-old but added he must ‘do so much better’ to earn a place in his side.

Mainoo scored alongside Alejandro Garnacho in the 2024 FA Cup final victory over City in a promising picture of United’s future.

Garnacho was sold to Chelsea last month, banished from the first-team in the summer after publicly calling out his manager following the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham.

Garnacho is gone with Mainoo’s future looking bleak (Picture: Robin Jones/Getty Images)

United legend Scholes and Butt spoke on Mainoo’s future in the first episode of their new podcast The Good, The Bad and The Football alongside Paddy McGuinness.

McGuinness raised the issue of Garnacho’s swift departure as a sign that ‘if you challenge the manager, you’re gone.’

Scholes replied: ‘It could be yeah, that might be something that scares Mainoo.’

Mainoo has still not started a Premier League match (Picture: Getty Images)

He continued: ‘I know there are questions about his [Mainoo’s] legs but he has got the brain to play that position.

‘After a couple of the games where we have seen Bruno not do well, why isn’t’ he knocking on his door and asking why am I not playing? I don’t know [if that is going on behind the scenes]. I’m not sure players go knocking on manager’s doors anymore.

‘But Monday morning Kobbie Mainoo should be knocking on door and saying “I should be playing”.’

 A number of United’s biggest stars have left the club over the years in different circumstances, but Butt fears the trend has taken on a more worrying form.

‘That’s alarming for Man United people like us, because if you want to leave Man United that easily [it shows] it is not the club it used to be.

‘Because no one left Man United. Becks left but there was a reason why he left, there was a reason why Roy [Keane] left, there was a reason why van Nistelrooy left. They didn’t wake up one morning and just decide they wanted to leave. Now you see people leave left, right and centre.’

Comments