Ruben Amorim names Manchester United star who must do ‘so much better’

Amorim has challenged the United star to step up another level (Picture: Getty Images)

Ruben Amorim still believes in Kobbie Mainoo but insists the Manchester United star can do ‘so much better’.

Academy graduate Mainoo has not started a Premier League game this season, settling for a spot on the bench against Arsenal, Fulham and Burnley.

In United’s first two games of the season, the England international watched on as Manuel Ugarte came on ahead of him while his introduction against Burnley came only after United lost two players to injury in Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount.

Having been told he is in direct competition with club captain Bruno Fernandes for a starting role, Mainoo asked to leave United on loan in the final week of the summer transfer window, desperate to for first-team football ahead of England’s World Cup campaign next summer.

United denied his request and while Amorim admits he needs to see lots of improvement in the midfielder, he has faith he can meet those demands and become a key to his plans in Manchester.

‘I believe a lot in Kobbie, but some of you think that Kobbie Mainoo is already done [the finished article]. I think he can do so much better, he can improve in a lot. He is a top, top player but he can be so much better,’ Amorim told a press conference ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby.

‘I think for some guys it is enough [their talent], but for him it is not enough. Maybe it’s not fair, but I think I’m helping Kobbie Mainoo, and that’s it. He will have opportunities like the other guys. If I feel during the week that someone is the best player to play, then he is going to play. And that I proved already to every player here.’

Mainoo could struggle for starting opportunities this season (Picture: Getty Images)

Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation calls for two central midfielders with Fernandes occupying one of those under the Portuguese coach.

Casemiro regularly occupies the other midfield role with Amorim suggesting Mainoo is not careful enough in possession to start in that deeper midfield role.

‘Kobbie Mainoo is really good at controlling the game, but if he plays as a No 8, he has to reach the box, returning [tracking back], and sometimes he has to cover a lot of space with just two. Bruno is doing that job. And then sometimes it’s bad luck.

‘Bruno is maybe the more influential player in the last few years, and he’s been playing in that position. Kobbie Mainoo could play as a No 6, but sometimes he passes the ball and goes away and it’s not a reference as a six, so we have to balance everything.’

Amorim denied Mainoo a loan move away this summer (Picture: Getty Images)

Amorim went onto challenge Mainoo to draw inspiration from another Portuguese midfielder in Vitinha – who went from bit-part player at Wolves to perhaps the finest midfielder in the world at Paris Saint-Germain.

‘Sometimes it’s the opinion of a coach, I remember Vitinha was not playing for Wolverhampton,’ Amorim said. ‘Then nowadays, you can see that Vitinha – maybe – is the best midfielder in the world.

‘So you never know. Something can happen sometimes. The way I play is completely different from the last manager. Sometimes, I look at Kobbie Mainoo and I feel that sometimes he was like – and I watched a lot of games from the Premier League when I was in Portugal – and you can feel that the Manchester United team was really transitional.

‘He was the only guy who calmed down the game. Now we have other players who can calm down the game. We play a different game, and sometimes I expect more from Kobbie Mainoo. And I know that he can give that.’

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