Owen Hargreaves has fully called out Ruben Amorim over his handling of a key first-team Manchester United star after the former Red Devils boss was sacked.
Ruben Amorim is currently a free agent and the 41-year-old former Manchester United manager has been out of the dugout since his Old Trafford reign ended.
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The former Sporting CP head coach was at the Premier League club since 2024, having left his native homeland in Portugal and been brought to England.
Amorim’s Man Utd reign lasted only 14 months after he replaced Erik ten Hag in the Old Trafford hot seat, with the Portuguese coach overseeing an ill-fated spell.
The former Red Devils manager’s relationship with Ineos fractured in the weeks leading up to the decision to sack Amorim as Man Utd head coach in January.
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Ruben Amorim looks dejected during the Premier League match between Brentford and Manchester United at the Brentford Community Stadium in 2025 in Brentford, England.
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Owen Hargreaves drops a powerful verdict on Ruben Amorim and Man Utd midfielder Kobbie Mainoo
Ruben Amorim’s time at Manchester United in the 2025-26 season could not see him escape his decision to drop Kobbie Mainoo from the Red Devils starting XI.
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Kobbie Mainoo had been a regular starter under former United manager Erik ten Hag after his breakthrough into the Red Devils first-team squad at Old Trafford.
Speaking on TNT Sports, Owen Hargreaves is convinced that Amorim’s polarising tactical system was the sole reason why Mainoo was left fighting for minutes.
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“It just showed it was wrong,” he said.
“If anything, it was the formation more than anything. Amorim only had two in there and you were always going to play Casemiro and Bruno.
“But when you have a talent like this, and every time I watch this kid play football, it’s the same.
“He’s got [the] courage to get on the ball. He’s quiet, he doesn’t say much, but his game talks.”
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Owen Hargreaves on Kobbie Mainoo’s resurgence at Man Utd under interim head coach Michael Carrick
Kobbie Mainoo had not started a single Premier League match under Amorim in the current campaign before the former Man Utd manager was axed by the club.
The 20-year-old England midfielder has started in all four Premier League matches since Michael Carrick returned to Old Trafford in January as interim head coach.
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Kobbie Mainoo during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium in 2026 in London, England.
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Hargreaves praised Mainoo for how he bounced back under United legend Michael Carrick and had been finding his mojo again in the Red Devils starting XI.
“[Ninety-nine] per cent of players would have played poorly, but he’s got real courage, he got on the ball, he’s got personality and I just think being in between Casemiro and Bruno helps him,” he added.
“Credit has to go to Kobbie. Because he was always coming back into the team. Once they went to a back four and midfield three, Kobbie was going to play.”
Hargreaves’ feelings on Mainoo and his role under Carrick and Amorim came ahead of Man Utd’s Premier League clash against Tottenham at Old Trafford.
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