Nicky Butt ‘hopes’ Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is not called upon in England’s huge World Cup semi-final against Argentina.
England face defending champions and historic rivals Argentina for a place in the World Cup final on Wednesday night.
The Three Lions reached only their fourth World Cup semi-final with a cagey extra-time win over Norway, while Argentina beat Switzerland – also in extra-time – last time out.
Mainoo is one of the few members of Thomas Tuchel’s squad yet to feature at the World Cup, with the German boss favouring a starting pair of Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice.
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Rice’s fitness and health issues could force Tuchel into a change of plans for England’s clash against Argentina in Atalanta but Butt ‘hopes’ Mainoo continues to be overlooked.
The Manchester United legend is a huge fan of the current Old Trafford star but says a World Cup introduction at this stage can only end badly for Mainoo given his lack of game-time over the past month.
Discussing Mainoo’s lack of minutes during England’s World Cup campaign, Paul Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast: ‘It seems like it’s anybody but Kobbie Mainoo for Thomas Tuchel at the minute.
‘He’s bringing Reece James on who hasn’t played for three weeks because of a hamstring injury. Only Tuchel will know why, I can’t imagine Kobbie being a problem in the camp.
‘But every manager has their favourites, of course they do.’
Butt added: ‘Do you know something? I actually hope Kobbie Mainoo doesn’t come on now.
‘Because he’s probably so down, he’s not played and he’s not kicked a football in a real game. He’s been training, obviously, but if he goes in now, the only thing he can do is bad.
‘He’s not going to be at the level to go and play at that level in a semi-final. I hope he doesn’t come on.
‘It’s anybody but Kobbie for Tuchel. He won’t be the first one to go to a World Cup and not play a minute, there’s a few players who have done that.’
Mainoo’s chances for some World Cup minutes raised after Jordan Henderson broke his arm in a freak accident following England’s last-16 win over Mexico.
The injury was expected to rule Henderson out of the tournament but it has been reported that he could still be included in matchday squads for England’s remaining games.
‘That just shows what he is like as a person and as a guy,’ England midfielder Morgan Rogers said when asked about Henderson’s impact around the squad.
‘I think hopefully he can still be involved with us for the rest of the tournament. He’s not going to rule himself out and neither are we.
‘I think the belief he has got in his own body, his ability and his confidence and the way he is and what he kind of represents as a person is massive to our group.
‘He is kind of the heartbeat of the group. To see him this morning smiling and to see him as happy as he is no matter what has happened in the last 48 hours is nice to see, and hopefully we can get him out on the pitch as soon as possible.’
Wednesday’s mouth-watering World Cup semi-final will be the first time Lionel Messi, arguably the best player of all times, faces England.
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