Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo admitted he once considered leaving the club after manager Ruben Amorim sidelined him. Amorim’s 3‑4‑2‑1 lineup left Mainoo without a Premier League start, sparking fears the club would lose a gifted academy product who scored the FA Cup final winner against Manchester City.

Mainoo’s loan request was denied in the final week of last summer’s window, and he received no game time until March when Michael Carrick took over. Carrick immediately restored him to the centre, and Mainoo has started 14 of 15 games since, helping United secure a third‑place Champions League spot.

Under Carrick, United have won 10 of 15 matches, amassing 31 points and needing only one more from the final two fixtures to clinch third place. Mainoo’s return has also earned him an England recall, with Thomas Tuchel naming him in the extended squad ahead of the World Cup announcement.

Mainoo said the patience he learned under Amorim’s exclusion proved valuable, noting that Carrick’s personal approach and former United midfielders like Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes helped him refocus. He now aims to keep improving, stating that consistency in the last two games will determine his role in the upcoming international fixtures.