RUBEN AMORIM has urged Kobbie Mainoo to watch Casemiro for an example of how to turn around his Manchester United fortunes.
And luckily enough for the academy graduate — he is doing a lot of watching from the bench at the moment.
United blocked Mainoo’s request to leave on loan in the summer and his only start all season was in the Carabao Cup second-round defeat to Grimsby Town in August.
The 20-year-old wants regular playing time but United are keen to keep him as Noussair Mazraoui, Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo could be absent for up to a month on Africa Cup of Nations duty.
Amorim, whose Man Utd team host Bournemouth on Monday, has not met with Mainoo to discuss the midfielder’s future.
And the United manager stressed he will always prioritise the team over any individual.
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He also warned that the grass is not always greener when you leave — as other Man Utd academy graduates have found out.
Amorim said: “The team comes first and if Kobbie comes to me and talks to me, I will talk to him.
“I’m not going to say what I’m going to say to Kobbie but I will be really pleased if Kobbie comes to talk to me about that.
“I just want my players happy and I understand that every individual has their goals.
“The frustration doesn’t help anybody. But again, the focus is in this game and we will see if that happens.”
Amorim was asked outright if he rated Mainoo, who has started in 16 of the Portuguese tactician’s 58 matches in charge.
He replied: “Of course. Like everyone else here. The problem is that we are playing with two and you guys see Kobbie in a different way to what I am seeing.
“Maybe if you play with three midfielders, not with just two. But with three, Kobbie will have more minutes. Imagine that this happens.
“Someone in front is going to lose their spot. Sometimes it’s just the moment. Again, I think I proved that.
“You can change my mind — because Casemiro is I think the biggest example. He was behind Toby Collyer and now he’s a star.
“Collyer played for the United first team. He’s from the academy. He played here.
“He went to West Bromwich. He’s not playing. He played for Manchester United. So sometimes it’s not because he’s from the academy or whatever.
Casemiro example
“It’s the situation, what’s happened. I don’t know what is going to be the future for Mainoo. Let’s see after this match against Bournemouth.”
Mainoo has been pitted against United captain Bruno Fernandes for the attacking midfield role in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.
The Portuguese boss also admitted he is reluctant to swap the ever-present Casemiro for Mainoo as the Brazilian is a defensive midfielder.
Stockport-born England star Mainoo, who boasts ten caps, replaced Casemiro when United had a man advantage and were 1-0 down to Everton last month.
But the Brazilian usually makes way for Manuel Ugarte in a like-for-like change.
The Old Trafford coach said: “I took Casemiro out and I put Kobbie in against Everton because we were trying to play a different game.
Paul Scholes criticism
“He can play in that position. But it’s hard sometimes. If you look at our team with Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, sometimes Bruno — who you guys say is a No 10 — sometimes Kobbie, Manu [Ugarte], you have to think I am the guy for blocking transitions, all these things.
“He needs to spend more time there but he can be in that position in the future.”
Amorim has been reluctant to use academy players and Mainoo is their only regular representative in match-day squads.
Homegrown United legend Paul Scholes has urged Mainoo to leave in January and claimed that Amorim does not “get” the club.
Former United managers Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Erik ten Hag were all irritated by comments from certain pundits but Amorim was more measured in his response.
He added: “I think it’s normal. I think it’s a fact that me, as a manager of Manchester United, I think we are underachieving.
“We should have more points, especially this season. So I take that naturally.
“Sometimes the ex-players don’t have all the information and they see Manchester United with the standards that they lived here. Always winning. So it’s hard for them to see their club in this situation.”
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