Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo officially announced himself to the world by scoring in the FA Cup final against Manchester City in 2024. The Englishman helped the Red Devils secure a hard-fought 2-1 win over their bitter rivals to register their second trophy under Erik ten Hag.
Mainoo was expected to become the backbone of the Dutchman’s reign at Old Trafford, but things changed quickly the following season. Ten Hag lost his job, and his successor, Ruben Amorim, attempted to implement a 3-4-3 system that had no space for the 21 year old.
From being indispensable under the previous regime, Mainoo turned into a peripheral figure under the Portuguese head coach, and was heavily linked with an exit by the end of last year. However, there was another twist, as Amorim lost his job, and Michael Carrick’s arrival handed Kobbie the opportunity he deserved.
Mainoo’s rise under Carrick
Carrick’s arrival also saw United shift to a 4-2-3-1 system, where Mainoo was placed at the base of the midfield alongside Casemiro, while Bruno Fernandes operated in a No. 10 role. The move turned out to be a brainwave and handed the Red Devils a new lease of life.
United transformed into the Premier League’s most in-form team, registering 12 wins and three draws in 17 games under Carrick. Central to their rise was an outstanding Mainoo, who started 16 games, missing the defeat to Leeds United with an injury.
Kobbie Mainoo Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 28 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 2 | - | 1,654' |
| EFL Cup | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 90' |
| FA Cup | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 62' |
| Total | 30 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 3 | - | 1,806' |
Source: Transfermarkt.
The Red Devils subsequently finished the campaign third in the league table and have secured qualification for the Champions League. Mainoo, meanwhile, earned a place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and is now preparing to face Croatia at the Dallas Stadium on Wednesday, 17 June.
Mainoo wants to relive United’s FA Cup win over City
Mainoo was recently asked by the club’s media to name the moment in his career he would like to relive. The Englishman chose the aftermath of the 2-1 FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
He said: “When the whistle blew in the FA Cup final. That was a pretty amazing moment. That last 20 minutes was tough because they brought it back to 2-1, and the pressure was on a lot. It was just like: survive, survive.”
“We watched the clock going down and they were piling the pressure on us. But it was just, survive – every five minutes looking up at the clock thinking, it’s going so slow. When that whistle finally went I was just knackered and dropping to my knees. Yeah, that’s the one moment I’d say I’d relive.”
When asked why he had opted for that moment and not his goal, he said: “A goal’s good, but you score and then it’s like (clicks fingers): right, back to the game. Because you’re playing against City, you know how dangerous they are, they can flip a game like that.”
“So the goal’s like, okay, we’ve got some breathing room, let’s go back to work. Obviously it’s an unbelievable moment, scoring in the FA Cup final – but in the moment you can’t really be, like: ‘My god, I’ve just scored in an FA Cup final!’ It’s just: ‘Right, two-nil up now, let’s keep it going.’”
“So it’s a lot more of a ‘phew, okay, more breathing room, let’s go again’ than ‘oh my god’. Whereas at the end of the game it’s over. You can feel everything then.”
Final Thoughts
While United are preparing to upgrade their midfield this summer, Mainoo is expected to keep his place in Michael Carrick’s starting XI. The young Englishman has all the attributes to become an Old Trafford legend and fans will hope he can help bring the glory days back next season.
Featured image by Molly Darlington/Getty Images
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