Kobbie Mainoo will be ‘one of the happiest people around’ following Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United exit but pressure is now on him to start delivering, Michael Owen has warned.
The United midfielder has not started a Premier League game all season, persistently overlooked by Amorim who was relieved of his duties at Old Trafford on Monday.
The 20-year-old has been dealing with an injury that has ruled him out of the last three games but he could be in contention to return to action against Burnley on Wednesday night when Under-18s boss and club legend Darren Fletcher will be in charge.
Mainoo attempted to leave on loan at the end of the summer transfer window, efforts that were blocked by United. Amorim’s exit, coupled with Bruno Fernandes also dealing with an injury, could see him make a swift return to the side.
His omission from the team has been a subplot throughout United’s campaign with Mainoo now in a race to find some form to force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s plans ahead of England’s World Cup campaign next summer.
While there might be an immediate rush of relief for Mainoo, former United striker Owen insists the hard work begins now with ‘no excuses’ left if he fails to reclaim his place.
‘By the very fact that Amorim has gone, you would think that he’s going to get a lot more opportunity to play, but that’s where the positive for him ends in many ways,’ Owen told Metro via online casino experts, casino.org.
‘Now it’s down to Mainoo. It’s all right blaming people, but of course, his time is now going to come and he’s got to take it.
‘He’s got to take that opportunity because if the next manager doesn’t play him and the next manager doesn’t bring him on much, then at some point, a little bit like Marcus Rashford, those doubts might start to creep in.
‘He’ll be thinking, “Am I playing well? Am I listening to the information I’m getting? Am I disciplined? Am I all of these things?”
‘Right now, he will be one of the happiest people about, but now it’s going to be squarely on his toes, and there’s no hiding place or excuses.
‘He’s got to now prove that Amorim was wrong by not playing him as much. He’s probably going to get that opportunity, so we’ll see.’
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Man Utd star could be handed new position if 3-4-3 is scrapped
Five players arrived at Old Trafford during Amorim’s reign, the first of those being Patrick Dorgu who joined from Italian side Lecce for £25m in January last year.
The Denmark international was a signing specifically brought in for the coach’s 3-4-3 formation with Amorim making a left wing-back a priority position shortly after his arrival in Manchester.
While he has featured predominantly in that position, Dorgu has also shown his worth in other roles in recent weeks, moving into advanced position on the right against Newcastle in late December, scoring his first goal for the club that night.
It came after Amorim raised serious concerns over the player, claiming he feels ‘feels anxious’ every time Dorgu touches the ball.
While he arrived at United as part of Amorim’s masterplan, Owen suggests the 21-year-old may also be among the players who will be ‘relieved’ to see the old system scrapped.
‘Dorgu has not necessarily played as a wing-back all his life,’ Owen said.
‘He’s played in that high right position in the last game or two, and he’s played that position before as well.
‘I’d say that overall, the players in that squad are probably relieved, if anything, that they might be going back to a more conventional system.
‘There will be one or two players that have been bought by Amorim, obviously, but that happens all the time. Dorgu, I still think there’s an opportunity for him.
‘He could play left back, left midfield, right midfield, or maybe as one of the attacking three on the left or right; there will be opportunities for him.
‘I wouldn’t be using that as an excuse, I don’t think he’s only a left wing-back, put it that way. He’ll have more opportunities and, like the rest of the squad, it’ll be just down to them now to prove themselves.’
