Kobbie Mainoo has missed England’s World Cup third-place game against France on Saturday night due to injury.
The Manchester United midfielder has not played a single minute of England’s World Cup campaign but was expected to feature in their final game of the tournament.
However, Mainoo was not even named as a substitute for the game against France, with the Football Association confirming that the 21-year-old is absent due to injury.
After being constantly left out of United’s starting line-up by Ruben Amorim last season, Mainoo impressed in the second half of the campaign under Michael Carrick and earned a place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad this summer.
However, many have been left baffled by Tuchel’s refusal to play Mainoo at the World Cup with Declan Rice struggling with a hamstring injury, as well as an illness before the win over Norway in the quarter-final.
Reports this week claimed that Tuchel had been unimpressed with Mainoo’s performance in a training session where the United midfielder featured alongside Elliot Anderson.
England vs France confirmed line-ups
England: D. Henderson; Quansah, Konsa, Guehi, Spence; Rice, Eze; Saka, Rogers, Rashford; Toney
Subs: Pickford, O’Reilly, Stones, Anderson, Kane, Bellingham, Chalobah, J. Henderson, Burn, Gordon, Watkins, Madueke, Trafford, James
France: Maignan; T. Hernández, Lacroix, Konate, Gusto; Rabiot, Zaïre-Emery, Doue; Cherki, Olise, Mbappe
Subs: Akliouche, Barcola, Dembele, Digne, L. Hernandez, Kante, Kone, Kounde, Mateta, Risser, Saliba, Samba, Tchouameni, Thuram, Upamecano
Tuchel’s decision to overlook Mainoo throughout the World Cup has been widely criticised, particularly after England’s 2-1 defeat in the semi-final to Argentina.
Ex-Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville said on The Overlap: ‘Honestly, we were absolutely dead out on our feet. We couldn’t get out of the box.
‘We literally get pushed back, and then the midfield players sag back onto you because their legs have gone. I think the three of them [in midfield]‘You look at today, Declan definitely, he’s not been right since day one, has he? That’s a big problem for us. Him not having the energy and the speed to get to the ball. We know what he’s like; he’s a fantastic player.
‘Kobbie Mainoo would be asking a question, wouldn’t he? You’d be wanting answers if you’re Kobbie Mainoo after not coming on at all. Because he can handle the ball a bit as well.’ were all absolutely out on their feet.
Meanwhile, former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt urged Mainoo to make himself unavailable for England’s game against France in Miami.
‘I’d just refuse to play if I was Kobbie Mainoo. I’d say I was injured,’ Butt said.
‘It’s a nonsense game, especially when you’ve been treated like that.
‘He’s not played a minute of football, now to go and start this pointless jumped-up friendly and potentially get injured for the whole season… no.’
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