Ben Foster has singled out England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo after the Manchester United star made his return to the starting XI under Darren Fletcher in the FA Cup.
Kobbie Mainoo had missed Ruben Amorim’s last four Premier League matches in charge as Manchester United manager due to a calf injury.
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The 20-year-old Stockport-born talent returned from the sidelines after Ruben Amorim was sacked as Man Utd head coach and featured under Darren Fletcher.
Darren Fletcher was appointed United interim manager last week and he brought Mainoo off the bench in United’s 2-2 draw against Burnley at Turf Moor.
Following Mainoo’s cameo performance in United’s Premier League encounter with Burnley, the England ace was finally included in the starting XI at the weekend.
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Kobbie Mainoo during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at Old Trafford in 2025 in Manchester, England.
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Ben Foster’s telling verdict on Kobbie Mainoo’s performance in Man Utd’s FA Cup defeat to Brighton at Old Trafford
Ahead of Manchester United’s third-round FA Cup tie against Brighton last Sunday evening, Kobbie Mainoo’s last start for the Red Devils had come in August 2024.
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Mainoo was in the Red Devils’ starting XI for United’s humiliating defeat to Grimsby Town at Blundell Park in the second round of the Carabao Cup.
The Three Lions star struggled for regular United first-team minutes this season after falling down the pecking order under ex-United manager Ruben Amorim.
Mainoo started Man Utd’s 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Brighton at the weekend and the United youth academy product saw out 62 minutes under Darren Fletcher.
What are your expectations for Kobbie Mainoo now Ruben Amorim has been fired?
Kobbie Mainoo in action during a first-team Manchester United training session at the Carrington training complex in 2025 in Manchester, England.
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Ben Foster has now admitted that he felt that Mainoo delivered a steady performance for the Red Devils after making his first start in months.
“Really well, he actually played really well, to be fair to him,” he said on ‘Fozcast – The Ben Foster Podcast.’
“He did, he looked lovely. But Man United, just as a team, just didn’t look; they looked a bit toothless.
“They looked a bit, I could tell Brighton were going to win the game.”
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Ben Foster’s powerful reaction to Man Utd’s exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Brighton
Joshua Zirkzee replaced Mainoo on the pitch only two minutes before former Man Utd striker Danny Welbeck netted Brighton’s second of the match on Sunday.
Benjamin Sesko scored late in the second half for United, but the Red Devils were unable to find the key equaliser ahead of the full-time whistle in the FA Cup tie.
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Speaking on the third-round FA Cup result, Foster added: “Man United started really well, should have scored a couple of goals early doors, but didn’t.
“And then Brighton went and scored. And then I just thought, ‘You know what? I can’t see United really getting back into it.’”
United were reduced to 10 men in the 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford after winger Shea Lacey was sent off, with the Red Devils now out of the FA Cup tournament.
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