Michael Carrick's previous comments could set alarm bells ringing for one Manchester United player.
Michael Carrick took his first training session as Manchester United interim head coach on Wednesday
Michael Carrick took his first training session as Manchester United interim head coach on Wednesday(Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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Michael Carrick will walk into a Manchester United dressing room that is conflicted by what has gone on over the last couple of weeks. Ruben Amorim received plenty of messages of support following his dismissal last week but there will, of course, be some players who believe their chances of playing have risen since his exit.
Kobbie Mainoo was forced to play second fiddle to Bruno Fernandes this season as Amorim chose to play the captain in a deeper midfield role. What became clear was the Reds' former head coach saw Mainoo as back-up to Fernandes.
Mainoo is too good to be a back-up option, especially given the fact Fernandes is very rarely absent. When Fernandes did pick up an injury recently, Mainoo was also absent and could not take advantage of the opportunity.
But now Amorim has gone, his 3-4-2-1 system leaves with him. Replacing it will be a more orthodox 4-2-3-1 that was a staple of Carrick's time at Middlesbrough. On paper, this should give Mainoo plenty of hope for the remainder of the season. The obvious move would be to bring Fernandes up the pitch into attacking midfield and have the 20-year-old sit alongside Casemiro in the two.
However, recent comments from Carrick about Mainoo suggest this is not where the interim boss sees the Englishman excelling. "He's more of an attacker. I don't see him as a holding midfielder," Carrick told Rio Ferdinand on his podcast.
"He's that line above where he needs a little bit more freedom. He can defend the higher line, but I think that bit deeper, around the centre-backs, that's a bit of a different thing completely.
"I see him playing that little bit higher and creating. I think he's got a massive future. I really like him, he just needs that patience and a little bit of a break again."
Kobbie Mainoo
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo(Image: )
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There's a risk Carrick is going to drop the midfielder into a worrying situation he is very familiar with. Once again, in a 4-2-3-1, like with the 3-4-2-1, Mainoo will be facing off against Fernandes for a place in the team.
He could, albeit it would be a bold move, drop Fernandes deeper and play Mainoo more advanced. But this seems unlikely.
There is a greater chance, if Carrick's words are to be believed, that Manuel Ugarte will be picked to play alongside Casemiro and then it would be a shootout between the captain and Mainoo. There is only one winner.
Carrick won't drop Fernandes to the bench. Fernandes has to be picked when fit - he is the one who maintains standards and can produce a moment of magic when United need it.
So where does that leave Mainoo? If Carrick sticks to his guns, the academy graduate is staring down the barrel of another few months of limited chances.