Gary Lineker has urged Thomas Tuchel to pick in-form Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Maino in his England World Cup squad amid burnout fears over Arsenal’s Declan Rice.
The teenager’s United career is firmly back on course with his stellar form at the heart of Michael Carrick’s engine room rewarded with a new long-term contract.
Mainoo looked destined for the Old Trafford exit in January having been frozen out by Ruben Amorim, but Carrick’s arrival as interim coach has coincided with a second chance at his boyhood club and the 21-year-old has seized the opportunity.
Indeed, the midfielder capped a perfect week by scoring the winning goal in Sunday’s 3-2 win over Liverpool, a victory that guaranteed Champions League qualification for the Red Devils.
Mainoo played a key role in England’s march to the final of Euro 2024 but with competition fierce, it appeared as though his lack of first team football would cost him any chance of playing for the Three Lions this summer.
A burst of superb form, however, means he is now pushing for inclusion and Lineker believes he fully deserves a place on the plane, even as cover for Declan Rice who could yet end up playing 62 games for club and country this season, should Arsenal get to the Champions League final.
‘I would say he’ll make the squad,’ Lineker told The Rest Is Football podcast, predicting that Mainoo has done enough to earn a call from Tuchel.
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‘I think this is really important, this World Cup is like no other we’ve ever had. There’s an extra round of matches.
‘It’s going to be played in exceptional heat like most World Cups are but there are a lot of games to play.
‘You’re going to have to rotate, players are going to get injured. The more players that you’ve got that are seriously good the better.
‘You could see Rice, Declan is overplayed. He’s played so many games and he probably covers more yardage than most players. He could run out of steam at some point and need a rest.
‘To have options in this World Cup particularly with the extra round in there it’s going to be invaluable to have someone that’s burst into form.’
Mainoo earned the man of the match award for his display against Liverpool on Sunday and afterwards admitted he owes Carrick a debt of gratitude for the way in which his career has turned around in such a short space of time.
‘It was difficult of course, anytime you’re not playing football,’ he said. ‘I just tried to look forward as much as possible and to keep my head down.’
Reflecting on Carrick, he added: ‘He’s played a huge part in it, all the confidence he gives all the players.
‘You want to follow him and fight for him and die for him on the pitch.’