Neil Warnock delivers verdict on Tuchel’s use of Kobbie Mainoo

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo endured a disappointing 2026 FIFA World Cup as England finished third. The youngster failed to play a single minute, spending his entire time across the Atlantic on the bench.

Mainoo was expected to play a role for the Three Lions at the summer’s spectacle following an impressive second half of the campaign with the Red Devils. The 21 year old was initially overlooked by former head coach Ruben Amorim, struggling to find a place in his controversial 3-4-3 system.

However, as results failed to improve, the Portuguese lost his job in January, and the English giants appointed Michael Carrick to see out the season. The English manager immediately brought Mainoo back into the fold, and the youngster played a starring role in his team’s third-place finish.

He started all but one of United’s 17 games under Carrick, missing the defeat to Leeds United with an injury. Such was his impact that the Englishman, who was not part of Thomas Tuchel’s plans as early as January, secured a place in the World Cup squad. Unfortunately, things didn’t go according to plan at the tournament.

United ace was a spectator at the World Cup

Mainoo’s ability to dominate possession and his new-found tenacity at United made him a secret weapon for Tuchel. Unfortunately, the German manager was not convinced by the player and did not afford him any minutes at the World Cup.

As such, the youngster watched from the bench as England reached the semi-final of the World Cup, where they were beaten by Argentina. Recent reports have suggested that Tuchel did try out Mainoo alongside Elliot Anderson in training ahead of the Ghana game amid concerns about Declan Rice’s fitness.

However, the German was not convinced and the United ace ended up watching from the sidelines. Liverpool legend Graeme Souness recently stated that Tuchel’s decision was the right one. However, former Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock begged to differ.

Kobbie Mainoo Stats: 2025/26 Season

Tuchel slammed for Mainoo treatment

Speaking on talkSPORT ahead of Saturday’s third-place play-off, Warnock insisted that Mainoo could have been a fine option off the bench for England. He said: “It will be interesting to see if he picks Mainoo. He was the type of lad that you needed in that last 25 minutes because he’s got the legs, he can hold it up, he can run with the ball.”

Warnock went on to slam the German manager’s treatment of the young midfielder, adding: “He’s commented about his training not being very good. You don’t say that to the press. You tell the player.”

“You put an arm around the player and say: ‘Look, you’re not training so good son, can you lift your percentage up?’ It’s totally unfair. Things like that should be kept inside the camp that it should be one-on-one with the player.”

“Will he play him now, and then he has a fantastic game and make Tuchel look stupid? Or does he just not bother playing in case he has a good game? I don’t think he’ll play him but listen he should do now. He should give everybody a game shouldn’t he?”

Mainoo missed England’s 6-4 win over France on Saturday with a knock. Tuchel confirmed after the game that the player suffered a back injury during training on Friday.

Final Thoughts

Mainoo’s experience at the 2026 World Cup may not have been a pleasant one, but it will help shape his career. The Englishman will now have a point to prove next season and United fans will hope that he can continue his recent good run with the club.

Featured image by Molly Darlington/Getty Images

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