1 day Ago By Dean Jones
Manchester United chiefs are thought to be seriously monitoring Kobbie Mainoo 's game time with a view to upcoming weeks, according to GIVEMESPORT sources - and thanks to midfield additions this summer, he is likely to be rested over the next fortnight with United showing caution as they appear on various fronts in cup competitions. Mainoo burst onto the scene last season and was a key part of Erik ten Hag 's side as United won the FA Cup, with the prodigy scoring in the final of the competition against local rivals Manchester City - the goal that eventually won them the cup at Wembley. But sources state that, as influential as Mainoo has been for club and country over the past calendar year, there is a watchful eye being cast over him at United with club chiefs keen to monitor his minutes so that he doesn't burn out with a long way to go in the Premier League season.
Sources: United Could Limit Kobbie Mainoo's Minutes GIVEMESPORT sources state that United are cautious over Mainoo's game time for the coming weeks, and they could begin to rotate him more frequently in order to keep his legs fresh. Mainoo has only failed to feature in six minutes of the four Premier League games so far this season, which comes after EURO 2024 where he was a regular for England and United in the months leading up to the summer's tournament in Germany. Kobbie Mainoo's Premier League statistics - Man Utd squad ranking Stats Output Squad rank Appearances 24 10th Goals 3 6th Through Balls Per Game 0.
2 =2nd Tackles Per Game 2 3rd Dribbles Per Game 1.3 =2nd Match rating 6.80 6th United, by competing on four fronts in all competitions, have just started a run of six games in 17 days following Tuesday's League Cup clash against Barnsley - and with Mainoo failing to have a proper rest over the summer, he was rested against the Tykes at Old Trafford.
Sources have stated that the signing of Manuel Ugarte will be Mainoo's primary midfield partner, but their added depth means that it is now easier to rest their starboy - with Christian Eriksen and Casemiro also in their ranks and Mason Mount once he returns from injury. Erik ten Hag's recent comments show that one player's Manchester United career is at a make or break stage. There will be balance across the quintet, and this will be carefully managed by United, who aim to cut down on injury woes by having ideal combinations readily available for all competitions.
But Mainoo is their main concern, as they don't want to give him too many minutes over intense scheduling periods - not only as they need him throughout the campaign, but it could also stunt his development. Previous Examples Show Mainoo Should Be Rotated There have been similar scenarios in the past with young players experiencing burnout. Michael Owen is always a go-to example within English football, but even a more recent comparison would be Barcelona youngster Pedri , who played 73 games during the 2020/21 season for the Blaugrana, and he hadn't missed any game time due to injury that year.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Mainoo already has 40 appearances for United, scoring five goals in the process. However, following that summer until March 2024, Pedri has suffered eight different injuries and missed 75 games . He plays in the same position as Mainoo, in an equally as important role as the Englishman - and so differences can be made to avoid Mainoo picking up long-term injuries that could be seriously detrimental to his cause and United's cause in the future.
Statistics courtesy of WhoScored . Correct as of 17-09-24..
