Man Utd Coach Amorim Ditches Talent Mainoo

Danny Murphy suggests Manchester United’s new boss, Ruben Amorim, will pass on England talent Kobbie Mainoo, despite his strong performances last season.

Former "Liverpool" midfielder Danny Murphy anticipates that new "Manchester United" head coach, Ruben Amorim, will pass over England international Kobbie Mainoo. This 19-year-old shone for his childhood club during the 2023/24 season, emerging as one of the surprise stars of the Premier League.

Mainoo made a significant impact as he broke through, shining both for "Man Utd" and England in challenging games. However, the teenager has not appeared for "Man Utd" since last month's goalless draw against "Aston Villa" due to a muscle injury. He remained an unused substitute in last Sunday's 1-1 draw at "Ipswich Town" in Amorim's debut match in charge.

Amorim had to select Casemiro and Christian Eriksen for central midfield due to prevailing circumstances, but Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte are likely to replace them in upcoming weeks. Ruben Amorim reportedly holds Mainoo in high regard according to Fabrizio Romano, but Murphy suggests the manager may not play him alongside Ugarte. "To excel in that role, "United's" midfielders will need more than mobility," Murphy told BBC Sport.

"They must appreciate the defensive side of the game, spot danger, and be quick enough to counter it. In the long-term, I believe Manuel Ugarte will be one of the stalwarts. He needs a sequence of games to regain sharpness, but his potential was visible during the Europa League match against "Fenerbahce" last month, and he has thrived under Amorim at "Sporting" before.

As for who might pair up with Ugarte, it will possibly be someone not yet at the club. There's likely to be transfer activity in the near future to acquire the type of player Amorim desires.

Murphy further expressed skepticism about "Manchester United" sticking with a 3-4-3 formation over the next year. "I'd be amazed if they still operate in a 3-4-3 a year from now," Murphy added. "This league is quite different from continental leagues. Only "Chelsea" in recent years have triumphed with such a system, and to be honest, they had Kante and Matic — two superb midfielders at the core, plus Costa at the front supported by Hazard. "Manchester United" does not yet have those players, and acquiring them costs millions for the world's best. When using three at the back against most teams in our league running three high, you effectively become five and that is truly challenging. For "Manchester United" to advance and stay competitive, I believe they'll evolve the 3-4-3 system into something else."