Kobbie Mainoo in Man Utd dreamland as Michael Carrick quotes resurface telling Ruben Amorim to build team around homegrown midfielder

Carrick is set to take charge of Manchester United on an interim basis until the end of the season after Amorim was sacked following the team's Premier League draw with Leeds at Elland Road. Amorim leaves Old Trafford after a bleak reign that delivered the club's worst-ever Premier League finish and saw the team struggle to adapt to his preferred 3-4-3 formation. Mainoo, in particular, has endured a tough time under Amorim, managing just 221 Premier League minutes so far this season and starting only the embarrassing Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby. His lack of game time has fuelled speculation about a possible exit and attracted plenty of headlines, particularly after his half-brother was spotted wearing a "Free Kobbie Mainoo" T-shirt at Old Trafford during Manchester United's 4-4 draw with Bournemouth in December. However, with a change in formation and approach now expected under Carrick, Mainoo is likely see more game time in the second half of the campaign and should have the chance to prove he deserves a regular place in the starting XI.   

Carrick has previously spoken highly of Mainoo, offering the youngster further hope that he can revive his career at Old Trafford. The club has a proud history of bringing homegrown players into the first team at Old Trafford, and Carrick told former team-mate Rio Ferdinand back in July that it's vital players such as Mainoo have a role at United. He told Rio Meets: "For a club to have a player who’s come through the academy and knows the club and feels it, United’s got to have an element of that. Always has done, always should. To have the talent that he’s shown already – you’ve got to have players like that, that you can say, ‘Right, they get it. They know it. Let’s help them, build them and stick with them.’ There’s definitely a place for him there, for sure.”  

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Mainoo has previously displayed his talent for club and country on the big stage, scoring in the FA Cup final win over Manchester City and starting the Euro 2024 final for England against Spain. Former Manchester United and England star Owen Hargreaves has told the Red Devils why Mainoo is perfect for the club. He told TNT Sports: "Everyone loves the way Kobbie plays, he’s a proper ball player. He didn’t play in the other team (under Ruben Amorim) because of the formation that they had, so it didn’t suit Kobbie. But I think now, when you play a midfield three, he’s perfect. He’s not a defensive midfield player; he’s not a 10, he’s an eight, which means he’s in between the two [midfielders]. He’s the perfect eight because you can play him the ball at any point. He’s crazy confident. I really think he’s going to be a star.”   

Carrick is due to take charge in time for some tough fixtures for Manchester United. The Red Devils have managed just two wins from their last eight games in all competitions and host Manchester City next in the Premier League, followed by a trip to Arsenal. Carrick will be eager to turn his side's fortunes around as he takes charge of the team for a second time. He won two and drew one of three games in his last stint as Manchester United manager, after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had been sacked in 2021, and will know he must first try to lift his team from a demoralising FA Cup exit at the hands of Brighton last time out.