Owen Hargreaves slams Ruben Amorim for benching Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United
Manchester United supporters are growing increasingly frustrated with their team’s performances. Ruben Amorim’s side has made a poor start to the 2025/26 season, collecting just four points from their opening four league matches. It is now their worst start to a season in 33 years.
Their campaign began with a defeat to Arsenal despite a promising display, followed by a disappointing draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage. A narrow win over Burnley provided some relief, but the penalty shootout loss to League Two side Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup was humiliating. These results had already placed Amorim under pressure, with criticism mounting even before the derby.
Matters worsened when Manchester City showed no mercy at the Etihad, cruising to a 3-0 victory. Erling Haaland deepened United’s misery with a brace. Pundits such as Owen Hargreaves have since questioned Amorim’s team selection, particularly his decision to leave Kobbie Mainoo out of the starting lineup. When Mainoo was introduced in the 62nd minute, he quickly outshone United’s other midfielders, raising further doubts about Amorim’s choices.
Hargreaves made it clear that the 20-year-old deserves a permanent place in the team. At the same time, criticism mounted over Amorim’s decision to deploy Bruno Fernandes in a deep midfield role alongside Manuel Ugarte rather than in his natural No.10 position. Questions were also raised about Benjamin Sesko’s preparation, as his display against City appeared completely flat.
Here is what Hargreaves had to say to Premier League Productions (h/t Metro):
“Where do you want to start? There are a lot of issues. How Kobbie Mainoo doesn’t play in this team, I’ll never know. He came on for that game, and in half an hour, he was probably their best player, by a country mile. So first of all, he’s got to play.
“Sesko is not ready. He scored a lot of goals in Germany, but he didn’t look ready today. You look at Haaland, the way he ran about and pressed, he just wasn’t active enough. I know he didn’t get much service, but he’s got to be more active. Mbeumo is top, Cunha is top. Bruno can’t play there as a central defensive midfielder any more, he’s got to play as a No.10.
“The way it’s set up now, it’s not working, so tweak it. You could make five changes, play Mbeumo up front, Cunha and Bruno as No.10s, Kobbie has got to get into the team, fact. You give yourself half a chance, I don’t see it. They had more possession than City today, but they didn’t look like the better team. Did they look like scoring much? No.”
Amorim’s thinking on Mainoo and the changing debate:
The debate has now shifted to Amorim, who refuses to move away from his preferred system. Many Manchester United supporters believe that his stubbornness is holding the team back. Amorim has already stated that Mainoo is not fully ready and still needs time to settle, but the question remains: if he can change the tempo of the midfield in just half an hour, why can’t he start from the beginning? Mainoo’s technical ability, ball control, vision, and passing range set him apart, while his strength in duels and relentless work rate make him a complete midfielder. However, Amorim’s 3-4-3 system relies heavily on rigid positioning and fixed passing patterns, stifling creativity.
Amorim has occasionally experimented with Mainoo in attacking midfield or even as a false nine, such as in the Europa League clash against FCSB, but these trials have only suppressed his natural talent. Many analysts believe the young Englishman would thrive in a true box-to-box role if Amorim were to adopt a 4-3-3 formation.
Even so, Amorim shows no sign of abandoning his philosophy, and this obstinacy could ultimately cost him his job. The situation has grown more complicated with reports suggesting that Kobbie Mainoo is interested in a move to Real Madrid, though Manchester United remain determined to change his stance before the January transfer window. In this climate, many fans feel that giving Mainoo regular opportunities is the simplest way to transform the club’s fortunes. If Amorim continues to resist, his position will only become more precarious.