England manager Thomas Tuchel has already shown the shortcomings of Ruben Amorim when it comes to Manchester United and Three Lions midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.
The 10-match reign of Michael Carrick in the 2025-26 Premier League season so far has had the biggest impact of all for Red Devils ace Kobbie Mainoo at Old Trafford.
From undesirable No 1 under Ruben Amorim to undroppable under Michael Carrick, Mainoo’s turnaround in form — and fortunes — has been nothing short of a miracle.
Even more so is that Manchester United’s post-Ruben Amorim era has meant that Thomas Tuchel can no longer overlook Mainoo for the England national team.
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Thomas Tuchel’s powerful message about Kobbie Mainoo is vindication for the Man Utd star after Ruben Amorim’s sacking
Thomas Tuchel has not worked with Kobbie Mainoo, but that will all change now after the Manchester United midfielder received a well-earned England call-up.
The Three Lions’ 35-man squad dropped last Friday and both Mainoo and Harry Maguire will represent England during the March international break.
Tuchel had teased that Mainoo could climb back into the Three Lions squad under his watch after the 20-year-old midfielder’s resurgence in form at Old Trafford.
The 52-year-old manager was full of high praise for Mainoo, but a standout detail from Tuchel was the “competition” claim he made to the Stockport-born talent.
“Kobbie is like Harry [Maguire],” Tuchel told The Football Association’s official website.
“A major part of the success story with Man United lately in the last [few] weeks.
“He plays all the time and I hear so many good things in the FA and from other players and I see his quality, so I want to meet him in person and see what he can do to get to know him better.
“Competition is on for him.”
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Thomas Tuchel’s competition remark is fairer for Kobbie Mainoo than what Ruben Amorim did at Man Utd
Kobbie Mainoo must now prove himself to Tuchel and March’s international friendlies against Uruguay and Japan at Wembley are the ‘perfect’ audition period for him.
The United star does face stiff competition for England, with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton only two standout names.
However, Mainoo is in a more reasonable place to show his worth to both England and Tuchel, unlike the position that he found himself under with Ruben Amorim.
Former United manager Amorim had set the near ‘impossible’ challenge for Mainoo of trying to compete for a place in the Red Devils starting XI against Bruno Fernandes.
“He [Mainoo] is fighting for the position now with Bruno,” he said last August, as per ESPN.
“I changed two midfielders. I like Mason Mount there because we want to score a goal.
“And then when I changed it, I felt that the team needed to return to one holding midfielder.
“So, he just needs to fight for the position with Bruno in training. Like it should be at Manchester United.”
Irrespective of Bruno Fernandes’ incredible talents, Mainoo did not stand a single chance against the man who is currently the Man Utd captain at Old Trafford.
Tuchel’s warning of ‘competition’ is more of a real challenge that Mainoo could aim to meet, unlike the unrealistic demands of Amorim at Man Utd earlier this season.
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