Michael Carrick has highlighted exactly what Manchester United failed to do under Ruben Amorim and used Kobbie Mainoo as the perfect example for his argument.
Kobbie Mainoo made his first Premier League start of the 2025-26 season under Michael Carrick last weekend in Manchester United’s win over Manchester City.
Should Kobbie Mainoo be an automatic starter under Michael Carrick now?
Kobbie Mainoo only needed 90 minutes to prove Ruben Amorim wrong!
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Stats: SkySports, picture: Getty
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The 20-year-old midfielder was partnered alongside Casemiro and Mainoo completed the full 90 minutes in Man Utd’s 2-0 result against Manchester City at Old Trafford.
Mainoo put in a steady showing in the final Manchester derby of the season and finally had the chance to shine in the post-Ruben Amorim era at the club.
The Stockport-born talent had seen his United first-team minutes dramatically reduced under Ruben Amorim in the 2025-26 Premier League campaign.
READ MORE: Michael Carrick breaks silence on Casemiro after Man Utd’s update on midfielder’s future, ‘he is desperate…’
Kobbie Mainoo in action during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford in 2026 in Manchester, England.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Michael Carrick keeps it real with his Kobbie Mainoo message after Man Utd entered the post-Ruben Amorim era
Kobbie Mainoo’s future at Manchester United was plunged into doubt last summer after the England star lost his place in the starting XI under Ruben Amorim.
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Former United manager Amorim had started to deploy Bruno Fernandes in the two-man midfield pivot alongside Casemiro and Mainoo fell down the pecking order.
Even Manuel Ugarte had climbed ahead of Mainoo in Amorim’s preferred picks and Mainoo had reportedly asked to leave the club last summer in a loan move.
How would YOU rate Kobbie Mainoo’s performance vs City out of 10?
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Michael Carrick insisted that United need to understand that a player like Mainoo is part of “laying the foundation” for the future talent at the Premier League club.
“I really enjoyed working with Kobbie,” he said at his pre-match press conference at the Carrington training complex, as per the Manchester Evening News.
“This club needs young players coming through and laying the foundation.
“It is something we need to grasp and build on. To come through so quickly shows an awful lot of quality in terms of his character.”
READ MORE: David Ornstein shares what Man Utd are now doing that is starting to worry other Premier League teams
Michael Carrick on Kobbie Mainoo’s Man Utd career and performance against Man City
Mainoo is under contract with Man Utd until 2027 and the Red Devils are keen to hold talks over a new long-term deal for the Three Lions international.
The England midfielder made only one start under Amorim in the 2025-26 campaign before the 40-year-old former United head coach was sacked earlier this month.
THIS was Ruben Amorim and Kobbie Mainoo’s first meeting – November 12, 2024
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Man Utd interim boss Carrick insisted that Mainoo’s career would have its highs and lows and believes the Three Lions ace was in his element against Manchester City.
“A career has ups and downs, but we saw last week what he can bring,” he added.
“He was enjoying himself.”
Mainoo has made 15 appearances across all competitions in the 2025-26 season and the United youth academy has registered only one assist for the Red Devils.
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