"He's not as good as we think he is" - Steve Nicol names Manchester United star who has been found out this season

Liverpool legend Steve Nicol believes Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo isn't as good a footballer as many people think. Mainoo, who came up through the ranks at Old Trafford, has struggled for playing time so far this season. Ruben Amorim has sparingly used him in the Premier League, with Mainoo clocking just 113 minutes of playing time across five appearances.

Understandably, fans have been calling out Amorim for refusing to give Mainoo more opportunities, especially considering his performances over the last two seasons. Notably, the 21-year-old scored in the FA Cup final win over Manchester City during the 2023/24 season under Erik ten Hag.

However, Nicol is of the opinion that Mainoo is not as good as a lot of people claim. The Scot stated that even though Mainoo is great with the ball, he feels that the midfielder does not do 'enough' without it. Manchester United's back four have suffered when opponents run at them and Nicol thinks Mainoo playing in front of them would be a big problem due to his lack of quality without the ball.

Nicol commented on ESPN FC:

“In my opinion, Mainoo is great with the ball at his feet but when the opposition has the ball, he doesn’t do enough. In fact, he doesn’t do anything. He doesn’t stop anybody getting at Man United’s back four. It’s not like he’s even on the bench, sometimes he’s not even in the squad." “Basically, he has been found out. At the end of the day, when you play with the top clubs and you want to be challenging, your players have to be able to contribute on both sides of the ball in my opinion. If there’s one thing that, unfortunately, Mainoo doesn’t do, he does not contribute defensively. The fact that Casemiro is starting over him consistently, tells you that there’s a problem. He’s not as good as we think he is.”

Mainoo's chances of making it to the England squad for the 2026 World Cup have taken a massive hit after his lack of involvement at Manchester United.

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Manchester United reject transfer request from Kobbie Mainoo: Reports

In the wake of growing uncertainty about his role under Amorim, Mainoo reportedly handed in a request to go out on loan. However, Manchester United decided against letting Mainoo go, with Amorim insisting he's an integral part of the first team squad at Old Trafford.

After missing out on an England call-up, Mainoo is training in Marbella during the ongoing international break. The midfielder is believed to be keen on fighting for his place at United but rumors around his future is expected to gather pace during the January transfer window.

Mainoo, who has already racked up 78 appearances for Manchester United at senior level, has a contract with the club that runs until 2027.

Edited by Nived Zenith