Kobbie Mainoo did not play in Manchester United's opening two Premier League matches and has been linked with a transfer amid doubts over fit in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 system. Mainoo broke into the first team under Erik ten Hag in 2023-24, starting 24 league games and scoring the FA Cup final winner. Since Amorim's appointment, Mainoo has struggled for minutes, making 18 league appearances with no goal contributions. Amorim has indicated Mainoo must compete with Bruno Fernandes for one of two midfield berths, and Mainoo's minutes under Amorim have been split between central midfield and the front three.
Mainoo enjoyed a breakout campaign under Erik ten Hag in 2023-24, starting 24 Premier League games and scoring what proved to be the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester City. However, the 20-year-old has found regular game time difficult to come by since Amorim took charge last November, only making 18 league appearances - 12 of them starts - under the Portuguese head coach while failing to register a single goal involvement. Of Mainoo's 32 league outings under Ten Hag, 31 were starts, and he contributed three goals and one assist.
And with Amorim determined to stick to his preferred formation, he says Mainoo must compete with Fernandes, who missed a first-half penalty at Fulham, for one of two midfield berths. Amorim said of Mainoo: "He is fighting for the position now with Bruno. "I changed two midfielders. I liked Mount there because we wanted to score a goal. Then when I changed it, I felt that the team needed to return to one holding midfielder. "So he just needs to fight for the position with Bruno in training. Like it should be at Manchester United."
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