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Kobbie Mainoo is set to make his first-team return next week, Erik ten Hag has confirmed.
Injuries have been the bane of Manchester United’s 2023/24 season so far. The Old Trafford side have been struck down hard since pre-season kicked off, making Erik ten Hag’s job that much harder.
United haven’t used it as an excuse. Instead, the Reds have been keen to push on, keep racking up the points and wait for their players to return. Although our immediate attention looks towards the return of senior members of the squad, Kobbie Mainoo is also close.
The Stockport-born midfielder had been nothing short of superb in pre-season before going down with injury. Sadly, we have not seen him since. However, there was good news on that front over the last 24 hours.
Ten Hag has revealed that the talented youngster ‘will have some minutes’ in the team next week after injury, adding that he is close to making his comeback.
Check out what the gaffer had to say on Kobbie Mainoo here:
“He is close,” the manager said, per ManUtd.com.
“He is already training with us. Not today but I think, next week, he will have some minutes in the team. So then he can catch up his game minutes. So he is really improving and ready to get back in the squad for games.”
Sadly, this Sheffield United game comes a little too soon for the teenager, though in midweek, United host FC Copenhagen in a must-win Champions League game. That could be a match where Mainoo appears off the bench as he looks to build the fitness levels.
I’ve been super impressed with Mainoo ever since watching him in the FA Youth Cup final a couple of years ago, though there’s already immense pressure on his shoulders as United need someone to help out in midfield. Placing the pressure on a youngster to be that spark is tough, but I believe he can do it.
Hopefully, Mainoo keeps progressing well and we’ll see him out on the field soon.
Do you think Kobbie Mainoo will help out this midfield? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.
