Michael Carrick restored Kobbie Mainoo to Manchester United's first team in their derby day win against Manchester City and the midfielder has had his World Cup chances evaluated
Joleon Lescott and Shaun Wright-Phillips speak on In The Mixer
Joleon Lescott and Shaun Wright-Phillips have delivered a verdict regarding Kobbie Mainoo(Image: In The Mixer)
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Kobbie Mainoo will make England's World Cup 2026 squad if he continues to perform under Michael Carrick at Manchester United. That's the opinion of ex-Manchester City stars Joleon Lescott and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Under Ruben Amorim, young midfielder Mainoo struggled for minutes in the United first-team. Despite having shone for club and country the Portuguese coach could not fit him into his starting XI. Mainoo requested a loan move last summer with exit rumours continuing into January.
But after 14 months in charge, Amorim has been ousted and Carrick is at the helm until at least the end of the season. His first game during this stint as manager ended in a thrilling 2-0 derby win against rivals City, with Mainoo impressing as part of a midfield three.
Prior to Amorim's sacking, Mainoo's chances of making Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions squad for the upcoming World Cup in North America were nigh on zero. But, according to Wright-Phillips and Lescott, if he keeps featuring and playing well at United for Carrick, he is a shoo-in to make the final cohort.
Asked on In The Mixer, brought to you by Sky Bet, if Mainoo will make England's World Cup squad if he continues to perform, Lescott said: "100 per cent."
Wright-Phillips chimed in: "If he keeps up with these performances, yeah." Lescott added: "You're not surprised by his performance. He's played like that before, hasn't he? I'm not surprised at all."
Manchester United Head Coach / Manager Ruben Amorim reacts to Robbie Mainoo of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United
Mainoo was benched by Amorim(Image: Getty)
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The former City star was also asked why Mainoo wasn't featuring under Amorim. Theorising, Lescott said: "I think it was just a personal thing. Managers don't like certain players regardless of whether it's as a footballer or as a person.
"There's got to be something. There's got to be an element of that because he can't have not featured and then do that and it be a surprise."
Wright-Phillips quipped: "It just felt like to me that for whatever reason, the more people vouched for Kobbie, the more he refused. It's like he didn't wanna hear anybody."
Mainoo also knows exactly what new manager Carrick thinks of him. The boss was asked on Rio Ferdinand's podcast last year if he would build United's squad around Mainoo and had a telling answer.
Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo and Michael Carrick walk off after the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City
Carrick seems to favour Mainoo(Image: Getty)
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Carrick said: "I think for a club to have a player that's come through the academy and knows the club and feels it, I think you have to. United's got to have an element of that.
"Always has done, always should, always have. To have a talent like that he's shown already, you've got to have players like that. You can say they get it. They know it, let's help them, let's build them and stick with them and I think there's definitely a place for him there for sure."
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