Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has slammed former club coach Ruben Amorim, saying the Portugese trainer was wrong for dropping Kobbie Mainoo.
Amorim rarely gave the 20-year-old minutes during games as he said he wanted something different from his players in the midfield, and regularly prioritised Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte and other players ahead of the England international.
The lack of minutes for the 19-year-old led to reports suggesting he wants to leave the club, with multiple reports suggesting Chelsea and Napoli were all interested in the English midfielder of Ghanaian descent.
Ultimately, Amorim was sacked and replaced by interim manager Michael Carrick, who has since brought Mainoo back to the starting XI as part of a United side that won Carrick’s first three consecutive matches in charge.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Hargreaves praised the youngster’s performance.
“He’s been a fabulous player,” he said. “Playing in a midfield two or midfield three, there’s a huge difference.
“It’s almost the perfect midfield three. Carrick knows that position better than anyone and can appreciate what Casemiro brings to the team.
“Kobbie, for him not to play for a year and come and play like this is amazing. I think they complete each other.
“Casemiro is the defensive one and Kobbie is the eight, then they can get it to Bruno.
“I don’t think Casemiro gets enough credit for the forward passes he can play.”
Asked what Mainoo’s resurgence showed about Amorim’s decision to leave him on the sidelines, Hargreaves was clear that he thinks it was an error from the Portuguese manager.
“It just showed it was wrong,” he added. “If anything, it was the formation more than anything.
“He only had two in there, and you were always going to play Casemiro and Bruno.
“But when you have a talent like this, and every time I watch this kid play football, it’s the same. He’s got the courage to get on the ball. He’s quiet, he doesn’t say much, but his game talks.”He didn’t play for a year, and he came in and played in a three-in-two of the hardest games you can ever play in.
“99% of players would have played poorly, but he’s got real courage, he got on the ball, he’s got personality, and I just think being in between Casemiro and Bruno helps him.
“Credit has to go to Kobbie. Because he was always coming back into the team. Once they went to a back four and midfield three, Kobbie was going to play.”
Joe Hart added: “Whatever his ceiling is, to be on the sideline, a lot being said, to come in and take care of business, credit to him.”
Kobbie Mainoo will hope to continue his revival under Carrick when Manchester United travel to play West Ham United on Tuesday evening at the London Stadium.
