Manchester United need to solve their issues in midfieldplaceholder image
Manchester United need to solve their issues in midfield | Getty Images
Man Utd's midfield was a problem in their 1-1 draw with Fulham at the weekend.
At the age of 19, Kobbie Mainoo started in the European Championship final and was Man of the Match in the FA Cup final. At the age of 20, he has not played a single second of football for Manchester United this season.
With the clock ticking at Craven Cottage, Ruben Amorim turned to his bench to try and swing the game in his favour. Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee were both overlooked, Harry Maguire and Ayden Heaven were sent on in search of what would have been an undeserved winner.
Amorim explained Mainoo's omission was due to the fact he is battling Bruno Fernandes for a place in the midfield two. There are a few flaws to his argument. Fernandes was United's worst performer against Fulham and deserved to be hooked, while Mainoo is a better creative midfielder than either Manuel Ugarte or Mason Mount, who both got minutes in central midfield on Sunday afternoon.
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"He’s fighting for the position now with Bruno and I change two midfielders, I leftt Mason Mount there because we want to score a goal and when I changed I felt the team need to return to one holding midfielder near Bruno," Amorim told reporters. "So he just needs to fight for the position with Bruno, as should be at Manchester United. For Bruno and he’s going to play with Bruno, but at the moment he’s fighting in training with Bruno for the position."
It is hard for him to fight for that role when he isn't even given a chance from the bench. Mainoo should be in the starting line up against Grimsby in the Carabao Cup, but even if he shines in midweek, the fact it would be against League 2 opposition might not be enough to change the head coach's mind.
It is quite clear Amorim does not trust Mainoo to play as part of a midfield partnership, but it is a lame excuse, given the players he competes with for that position. That is confirmed by the fact they would have liked to have signed a midfielder this summer. Carlos Baleba was the dream target, but was priced out of a move by Brighton. Next summer, a midfield rebuild will be their priority, with at least two needed if they are to replace Casemiro as well.
That can't happen until next year, though, so they need to find a short-term solution. Ugarte has continuously underperformed, Casemiro can't cope with the pace of the Premier League, and both Fernandes and Mount are better as attacking midfield options. Even if he isn't the finished article now, Mainoo deserves the same trust as his peers and a chance to prove he could be the solution in the long run.
With the youngster yet to sign a new contract with his boyhood club and doubts over his long-term future, he also needs to be given a solid reason to stay. Sitting on the bench as a limited pool of midfielders struggles in his absence is hardly going to convince him to sign a new deal.
If Mainoo is truly in competition with Fernandes, it is about time he is given a chance instead of him.
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