Not Mainoo: Amorim’s use of Man Utd’s “best player” is a sackable offence
Manchester United’s squad at present is full of top-level talent in numerous areas of the pitch, but Ruben Amorim has so far struggled to make use of the players at his disposal.
The hierarchy have constantly splashed the cash in recent years, with over £200m being spent on new attacking talents during the recent summer transfer window.
The likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha all made the move to Old Trafford, but they have only posted a total of eight Premier League goals combined in 2025/26.
Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system has seen Mbeumo operate in a somewhat unnatural central attacking midfield role, no doubt taking away his best asset – cutting inside off the right-hand side – away from him.
As a result, one player has indirectly suffered this campaign, with the manager recently coming under fire for his lack of faith shown in the player over recent months.
The latest on Kobbie Mainoo’s Man Utd future
Just a couple of years ago, Kobbie Mainoo was a key member of the United first-team squad, with the midfielder often starting at the heart of Erik ten Hag’s side.
He emerged out of the club’s academy setup, often popping up with key moments, as seen by his incredible achievements during the 2023/24 campaign.
The 20-year-old scored a late winner in the clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers, whilst also netting in the FA Cup final against Manchester City – resulting in a place in the England squad for Euro 2024.
However, his career has taken a nosedive over the last 12 months, with Amorim evidently not seeing the academy graduate as part of his long-term plans at Old Trafford.
Mainoo has featured in nine league matches to date, none of which have come from a starting role, leading to one journalist questioning the manager over the midfielder after yesterday’s draw.
The 40-year-old simply laughed when asked about bringing the youngster on to try and win the game at the Theatre of Dreams, which sums up the faith he currently has in him at present.
However, an escape route could well be on the cards for Mainoo ahead of the January transfer window, with Napoli constantly tracking the Englishman over a potential transfer.
The Man Utd player that Amorim is misusing in 2025/26
The reluctance to utilise Mainoo in 2025/26 is just one of Amorim’s biggest failures to date, with the youngster massively deserving the chance to thrive under his guidance.
However, his recent spell on the substitutes bench highlights the lack of faith shown in him by the manager, with a solution desperately needed in the coming months.
The same could also be said about numerous other players, as seen by the struggles endured within the final third of the pitch over the last couple of matches in the Premier League.
Mbeumo has now failed to find the back of the net in each of his last three outings, but the forward is set to go to AFCON throughout January, which could leave a huge hole in the Red Devils’ attack.
His month-long spell away from Manchester could open up the door for Bruno Fernandes to once again feature in the number ten position – a role that is no doubt his best.
The Portuguese international operated in an attacking midfield role during 2024/25, resulting in the 31-year-old registering 37 combined goals and assists across all competitions.
However, the £200m spending spree in attacking areas has resulted in the United captain dropping into a deep-lying number eight position, which has taken away his creative nature in recent months.
He still currently has a total of five assists in his 14 appearances this campaign, but there’s little denying he’s endured a drop-off from his form last season.
Bruno, who’s been dubbed United’s “best player post Fergie” by writer Kaustubh Pandey, has now had to contribute more defensively, as seen by his increased tally of tackles won per 90 compared to last season.
However, whilst he’s still managed to play a part in winning the ball back for his side, it’s come with an adverse effect – subsequently resulting in a lack of creativity in attacking areas.
He’s only scored twice in the Premier League to date, one of which was a penalty, highlighting his lack of impact in terms of goal contributions in 2025/26.
Games played
14
Goals scored
2
Pass accuracy
83%
Shots on target
0.7
Chances created
1.8
Tackles won
1.8
Duels won
4.6
Interceptions made
0.6
It’s clear to everyone but Amorim that the Portuguese star is better in an attacking role, which means one of the £200m additions may need to be sacrificed.
Such a move could open up a free role at the heart of the Red Devils side, which could allow Mainoo to have the run of games he needs to save his United career
However, if Amorim is unable to make such changes in the near future, it could result in the 40-year-old losing his job at Old Trafford in the near future – with such a decision an easy one for him to make.
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