Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim wants Kobbie Mainoo to fight for his place in the team with captain Bruno Fernandes, Afrosport reports.
The 20-year-old English midfielder of Ghanaian heritage was an unused substitute in the Red Devils’ opening two Premier League games against Arsenal and Fulham, losing the former 1-0 before drawing the latter 1-1.
Fernandes received some criticism for his performance against Fulham after he missed a first-half penalty, leading some fans and pundits to believe that Mainoo deserves the nod over the Portuguese in midfield. Amorim however thinks otherwise.
“No, he is fighting for the position now with Bruno [Fernandes],” he said. And I changed two midfielders. I like Mason Mount there because we want to score a goal. And then when I change it, I felt that the team needed to return to one holding midfielder.
“So, he just needs to fight for the position with Bruno in training. Like it should be at Manchester United.”
Reflecting on Fernandes’ missed penalty, Amorim added: “I think he’s not used to missing a penalty. He knows the importance that every moment in this context can have a huge impact on the team. I felt that during the game he was not so happy, not so involved because he has so much responsibility, and I think he felt that in that moment.”
Amorin went on to assert that his team need to focus more on their performance on the pitch in order to get the desired results.
“In this moment, we need to think about the performance. Of course, I’m not crazy, I know what the feeling is of the players that play in the team that they have to win every match,” he stated.
“But I felt that in the past, I don’t feel a lack of urgency in this moment. What I felt is that we missed the penalty, we missed some chances, and then we score, and I have the feeling that now we have to defend this goal.
“That is not a lack of urgency, it may be urgency in the opposite side. We just need to focus on our movement and the way we have to play the game.”
24.1% – Ruben Amorim now has a Premier League win percentage of 24.1% (7 wins in 29 games), the exact same percentage as Neil Warnock (won 27 of 112 games), who was twice relegated from the Premier League. Worry. pic.twitter.com/4HfNUTncRv
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 24, 2025
United will turn their attention to the EFL Cup second round tie away at Grimsby Town on Wednesday.
