Manchester United 1-1 West Ham match highlights and reaction
The Man Utd youngster was an unused substitute once again as they drew 1-1 with West Ham United.
The 20-year-old is unhappy with his lack of playing time after he was an unused substitute once again as United drew 1-1 with West Ham on Thursday night. Mainoo had a loan request rejected in the final days of the summer transfer window and could push to leave his boyhood club again next month.
Mainoo has not been named in an England squad under Thomas Tuchel and knows he will only earn a place in their World Cup squad next summer if he plays regularly during the second half of the campaign. That appears unlikely to happen at Old Trafford, with the academy graduate firmly behind Bruno Fernandes in the pecking order for the same midfield role.
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Why Mainoo is not playing for United
Kobbie Mainoo was overlooked again as Manchester United drew 1-1 with West Ham in the Premier League on Thursday night. Ruben Amorim did not introduce the midfielder from the bench, but instead freshened his side with the introduction of both Manuel Ugarte and Mason Mount.
Speaking after the draw, Amorim was asked if he understood why Mainoo might feel demoralised by his lack of playing time. "I see it. I see it and I just want to win, I just put the players, I don’t look who it is, I don’t care about that, I just try to put the best players on the pitch," he said. "You have Ugarte that played two games, one of them, Case was out. Bruno is always fit, he’s the guy that is doing his position so maybe it has to do with that."
When asked if Mainoo could get a chance when other players are away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Amorim added: "I don’t know. I don’t know. It’s the same question. I don’t know what is going to happen. It depends. If I see in the training it is the best thing, I will put it. That is the only way I know how to respond to that."
Amorim was then asked if he understood that there was extra interest in Mainoo's lack of playing time due to the fact he is a homegrown player. He continued: "Of course, I understand. My job is to answer but I am trying to answer always the same thing. And you ask me always the same thing. I understand what you are saying. You love Kobbie. He starts for England, but that doesn’t mean I need to put Kobbie when I feel I shouldn’t put Kobbie."
There was then a tense moment when Amorim was asked if he actually trusted the club's academy players, to which he responded, "Why?" When it was suggested he didn't pick any academy players to play, he insisted, "We have Kobbie Mainoo."
Shea Lacey was the other homegrown player overlooked from the bench in the West Ham draw, though Amorim suggested his lack of experience was the reason he did not make it onto the pitch. He added: "But Lacey in difficult situations. Lacey sometimes, when Bryan is not there I put Amad because I have other wing backs to play and sometimes it’s hard. You are asking me why don’t I put Lacey to play when I have other guys that are international and they are also on the bench, so I try to put the best prepared guys for this moment of the club and try to win a game, that is the only thing guys."
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