Dimitar Berbatov could not be more right with his assessment of Kobbie Mainoo’s five-month resurgence at Manchester United under Michael Carrick this season.
Rising like a phoenix from the ashes, Kobbie Mainoo truly went from undesirable No 1 at Manchester United to simply undroppable over the course of the campaign.
The 21-year-old Stockport-born midfielder has since committed his long-term future to the club with a new deal, while Mainoo is once again playing for England as well.
From Ruben Amorim to Darren Fletcher to Michael Carrick, Mainoo’s 2025-26 campaign at Old Trafford has been nothing short of its highs and lows.
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Dimitar Berbatov’s stance on Ruben Amorim shows Kobbie Mainoo well and truly had the last laugh at Man Utd
The Ruben Amorim era at Manchester United might seem like a distant memory, but it won’t be for England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo this season.
Amorim was sacked as Man Utd manager back in January and the 41-year-old Portuguese coach’s reign this season was marred by his handling of Mainoo.
Mainoo was well and truly starved of United first-team minutes under Amorim after falling down the midfield pecking order, with his future even in doubt at the time.
The Red Devils talent has since been restored to the starting XI under Michael Carrick and Mainoo even netted the winner for United against Liverpool on Sunday.
When asked if Amorim must be thinking if he was ‘wrong’ about Mainoo, Dimitar Berbatov said on Premier League Productions: “He must be, right?
“Looking at the numbers and thinking, ‘Maybe I did that wrong?’ Maybe I needed to give him more chance[s] to play’ because he’s proving him wrong right now.
“And you’re just wondering sometimes how football can be a cruel game, unfair game, because you never know who your manager can be.
“And in an instant, maybe he doesn’t like you. Maybe he doesn’t like you, how you play.
“You give everything, but you still don’t play, like I think it was the case with Kobbie Mainoo. And now he’s back [in] the team.”
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Kobbie Mainoo’s Man Utd vengeance arc is addressing criticism from both Ruben Amorim and others as well
Former United manager Amorim is the easy scapegoat every time that Mainoo has impressed over the course of the last five months since the Portuguese’s sacking.
However, Amorim is not the only person who has been critical of Mainoo, with other critics downplaying his significance to Man Utd since his breakout season at the club.
Whether it was at Euro 2024 under Sir Gareth Southgate or under Carrick at United, Mainoo has sent the same message to his ‘doubters’ as he has done with Amorim.
“Now he’s, I think he’s out for vengeance in a way to prove, not only his former manager, but the people who doubted him, ‘Look, I was a bit forgotten, but now I’m back. I believe in myself. I have the qualities,’” Berbatov added.
“And he showed it on the pitch. The way he plays with that swagger and confidence, I mean, it’s a joy to watch.”
Mainoo has killed two birds with one stone in the second half of the 2025-26 campaign and his doubters and Amorim have been proven well and truly wrong.
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