Ruben Amorim has made his position clear on Kobbie Mainoo and two other Manchester United stars after the Red Devils’ encounter with Nottingham Forest.
Kobbie Mainoo has been left struggling for minutes under Ruben Amorim this season after losing his place in the Manchester United starting XI under the manager.
The 20-year-old Stockport-born talent was among the substitutes for United’s 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest at City Ground on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Devils led in the first half after Casemiro broke the deadlock from a Bruno Fernandes corner, but United were shell-shocked against Forest in the second half.
Morgan Gibbs-White cancelled out Casemiro’s first-half opener only three minutes after the break before Nicolo Savona fired Forest into the lead in the 50th minute.
United were able to find an equaliser and walk away with a Premier League point after Amad Diallo netted a sensational volley in the 81st minute of the contest.
Ruben Amorim asked about Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee after Man Utd’s Premier League draw at City Ground
Kobbie Mainoo watched on from the bench at City Ground and the Manchester United midfielder did not even make it onto the pitch for a cameo appearance.
Joining the England international were fellow substitutes Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount, with neither of the latter two being brought on when the Red Devils were trailing.
United manager Ruben Amorim was asked directly about not turning to Joshua Zirkzee and Mainoo, with the Portuguese coach defending his tactical choices.
“No, I could do the same thing if Kobbie Mainoo or Mason Mount – Mason Mount was there also – Kobbie Mainoo, Josh, and then you have to imagine the game,” he said at his post-match press conference on Saturday.
“Josh is better, it’s a little bit like [Matheus] Cunha playing between the lines and if you see the game, we have a guy that needs to be inside the box and Ben [Benjamin Sesko] is the best one to do that.”
Why Ruben Amorim snubbed Man Utd trio Kobbie Mainoo, Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount against Nottingham Forest
Amorim stuck with his frontline for the full 90 minutes, despite Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha failing to have a major impact on the match.
Following the singling out of Kobbie Mainoo, Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount, United head coach Amorim explained his exact reason for not turning to the bench.
“Sometimes it’s the characteristics of the game and they know that,” he continued.
“It’s something, it’s just a moment we tried to do our best, it’s nothing to do with the quality that we have on the bench.
“And you have a lot of games where that happens.”
Mainoo has played in seven Premier League matches for United in the 2025-26 campaign, but the Three Lions star has not made a single league start so far.
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