Kobbie Mainoo could have played for another team instead of Manchester United. Napoli had expressed interest twice during the team's decline under Ruben Amorim, and the prospect of Mainoo leaving was once not far away.
But instead of Antonio Conte, it was interim coach Michael Carrick who pulled Mainoo out of that nightmare. When the 20-year-old midfielder returned to the main squad, Man United also revived strongly and won 4 consecutive matches in the Premier League.
The latest 2-0 victory against Tottenham at Old Trafford was partly aided by Cristian Romero's red card in the first half, but Mainoo is still one of the biggest highlights. After a series of positive results, it is easy to recognize two important changes that have made a difference. That is Carrick switching to a 4-defender system and handing over the central role to Mainoo.
Amorim can be sympathized with in many ways, but it is difficult to understand why he once came to the conclusion that Man United is better when Mainoo is not on the field. In fact, Mainoo has played many minutes in the Premier League for Carrick this season much more than during Amorim's time.
There is no doubt about Kobbie Mainoo's ability and what he can contribute. He is still very young and is learning. He has gone through a period of sublimation and then had to stop playing, so sometimes people forget his age" - Carrick said after the win against Spurs.
Mainoo is still finding his playing rhythm after a period of being sidelined, but the feeling of the ball has not disappeared at all. In the opening goal, the short corner kick was a smart idea, but success was decided by Mainoo's perfectly timed run and accurate pass to Bryan Mbeumo. This was the situation that helped the "Red Devils" take the lead less than 10 minutes after Tottenham was down to 10.
Stepping into the second half, another delicate touch of Mainoo opened up space for Diogo Dalot to cross for Bruno Fernandes to seal the score 2-0, extinguishing Spurs' hopes of resurgence and helping Man United continue to firmly stay in the top 4.
Mainoo once had an assist in the 3-2 victory over Arsenal, and his recent form makes the possibility of him being called up to the England national team more realistic. If he maintains his performance from now until the March training camp, coach Thomas Tuchel can hardly ignore it. Less than 2 years ago, Mainoo was still a teenager who started in a EURO final.
Surely there are still many things ahead. He is learning every day, playing alongside Casemiro and learning from experience. There are things he learns that sometimes he doesn't even realize" - Carrick emphasized.
While Mainoo and Carrick were sublimating, coach Thomas Frank's Tottenham continued to sink into crisis. Romero was sent off for an unnecessary tackle on Casemiro, then Tottenham conceded and collapsed. From once a sought-after name, Frank is now facing increasing pressure as Spurs extend their winless streak.
Under Amorim, Tottenham was once Man United's nemesis. But Carrick defeated them in their first encounter, extending the "Red Devils'" unbeaten streak to 8 matches - something they had not done since the beginning of 2022. Football changes very quickly, and the past weeks are the clearest proof for Mainoo, for Carrick, and for Frank.
