Mainoo nominated for award after starting season on Man Utd fringes
- Published
It seems a lifetime ago that Kobbie Mainoo was seriously considering his future at Manchester United.
Mainoo was left on the bench by Ruben Amorim for the first two games of the season against Arsenal and Fulham and then only introduced for the second half of the victory over Burnley at the end of August.
Mainoo feared for his World Cup place and asked to leave on loan, with Napoli keen to snap him up.
United said no - but Mainoo still did not get picked to start as the season continued.
When we entered January, there was a feeling he would push again to be allowed to leave.
As it turned out, it was Amorim who left, and with it went the system which created the issue in the first place as it left Mainoo battling for a midfield slot with skipper Bruno Fernandes.
Aside from a single game against Leeds, when he was injured, Michael Carrick picked Mainoo in every starting line-up to the end of the season.
It was enough for the 21-year-old to force his way into Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad. Now it has been confirmed he is one of six nominees for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, the winner of which will be announced in Manchester in August.
If Amorim's system could not get Mainoo in the team, maybe the system was the problem.
