The “free Kobbie Mainoo” movement might serve as his epitaph or a stimulus to his regeneration at Manchester United. Whichever way the Mainoo tension plays out, little sums up the Old Trafford box set more than a Big Brother move by a big (half) brother.
Ruben Amorim’s reputation rises and falls by the minute as he searches for a way out of the darkness. Episodic shafts of light have led him down many a false path, including the latest dramedy against Bournemouth, an episode which saw United lead three times, ship three goals in 12 minutes either side of the break, yield again four minutes from time and almost concede twice in the 97th and 100th minute.
Screams of “are you not entertained” echoed about Old Trafford. Yet, despite the wild acclamations amongst the punditry class, Jamie Carragher rapping the match in tinsel with sightings of the “real” Manchester United, Amorim was still processing a result that saw United score four at home and fail to take maximum points.
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Indeed the outcome extended United’s winless run at home to three, and this against Everton and West Ham as well as Bournemouth, all in the bottom half of the table. One of those defeats came against a team playing with ten men for 80 minutes. United also allowed a hopeless Wolves into a match seven days prior with an equaliser on the cusp of half-time, their first shot on target.
It is fair to acknowledge a sense of raised standards this season, coupled with an uplift in mood, yet Amorim is beset with a running sore of a disjointed midfield, which he continues to address by ignoring a player who many believe to be a generational talent at Old Trafford. Enter Jordan Mainoo-Hames on behalf of little bro.
Drawing on a flair for attention-seeking that reached its zenith six years ago in the Love Island villa, Jordan went full loose cannon with a stunt that might not have helped his sibling’s cause but captured the sentiment of fans and ex-United pundits bewildered by Amorim’s marginalising of Mainoo.
Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Rio Ferdinand have each taken to the megaphone to advocate for his self-propelled exit. The lad was eyeing Napoli in the summer, clearly envious of the Scott McTominay resurrection in Serie A. The late flowering of another former team-mate, Rasmus Hojlund, in Naples has not gone un-noticed by Mainoo, who sees a move in January as the only way to remind England manager Thomas Tuchel that he is still alive ahead of the World Cup.
Mainoo’s 30 minutes against Bournemouth were never going to be conclusive, but with Casemiro banned for Sunday’s visit to in-form Aston Villa, the opportunity to start Mainoo for the first time this season is clearly a moment loaded with significance.
Amorim is arguably the luckiest United manager of all time still to be in work. The evidence against him is stacked a mile high and is hardly countered by incremental improvements that even the most optimistic United fan would concede are brittle.
His stubborn resistance to Mainoo appears harder to defend given the answer to United’s faltering microbiome lies in finding the right balance in midfield. With each snub Mainoo’s highlights reel glows more iridescent, the swivelled-hipped goal against Wolves at Molineux, the FA Cup winner against Manchester City, slotted first time for greater effect, reminders of what United are missing.
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As well as some striking attacking play, United’s highlights against Bournemouth included Antoine Semenyo and Marcus Tavernier racing away from Bruno Fernandes to score and create. At least Fernandes was trying to get back into position. Unless he is blocking or intercepting, Casemiro offers nil defensive cover when the play breaks open and the opponent launches a rapid counter.
Mainoo has played only 212 minutes this season. Butt argues the 20-year-old has wasted the last 18 months of his career since appearing at the Euros with England. Were, for example, Chelsea to call, should he go? “All day long,” urges Scholes.
It would appear brother Jordan shares that view. Amorim says he is open to a chat with Mainoo. Actions speak louder, etc. Thus does the team-sheet at Villa Park loom like a lie-detector moment for Amorim.