Criticism mounts over Amorim’s handling of Mainoo
Ruben Amorim continues to receive strong criticism more than a month after his dismissal from Manchester United. The main point of contention centres on his decision to limit the playing time of young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. Under Amorim the 20-year-old England international featured in just 228 minutes of Premier League action this season often finding himself on the bench or sidelined.
Since Michael Carrick took over as interim manager following Amorim’s exit Mainoo has been restored to the starting lineup. He made his first league start of the campaign against Manchester City in January his first since May 2025 and delivered an outstanding performance. Fans and pundits alike have expressed bafflement at how such a talented player was underutilised for so long with many highlighting his immediate impact upon returning.
Pundits have been vocal in their disapproval of Amorim’s approach. Owen Hargreaves described the situation as mind-blowing pointing out that Mainoo one of the world’s best young talents had barely played for a year yet dominated key matches against City and Arsenal upon his return. Hargreaves praised Carrick for placing players in natural positions which has led to improved performances across the team.
Carrick’s impact and United’s revival
Michael Carrick has enjoyed a strong start winning four of his first five games in charge. The team sits on a nine-match unbeaten run in the league with five victories coming under Carrick. Hargreaves noted that Carrick has been flawless so far returning Old Trafford to a happy place where fans are enjoying wins again. He emphasised that placing Bruno Fernandes in his preferred number 10 role and allowing him to create has been key.
Joe Cole echoed the sentiment describing Carrick as elegant yet ruthless in his approach. Having known him from their time at West Ham Cole highlighted Carrick’s meticulous preparation and quiet competitiveness. He argued that Mainoo’s swift return to top form makes Amorim appear stubborn as good players can adapt to systems yet Mainoo had been overlooked for too long.
United now have the chance to extend their unbeaten streak to ten matches when they visit Everton on Monday. Mainoo’s contributions have been central to the positive shift and his performances continue to underline the questions surrounding Amorim’s earlier decisions.
