Kobbie Mainoo has re-established himself as a key Manchester United player, with the club’s Premier League results showing a marked improvement when the midfielder has featured since the start of the 2025-26 season.
United have won 13 of the 17 league matches in which Mainoo has played, drawing three and losing only one. Across those games, they have scored 37 goals and conceded 18, averaging 2.17 goals scored and 1.05 conceded per match.
That record gives United an average of 2.47 points per game, with a win rate of 76.4% and a loss rate of 5.8%.
By comparison, United’s record in the 23 Premier League matches without the 21-year-old is eight wins, eight draws and seven defeats. They have scored 37 goals and conceded 36, averaging 1.6 goals for and 1.56 against per game.
Their points-per-game average without Mainoo falls to 1.39, while their win percentage drops to 34.7% and their loss percentage rises to 30.4%.
The figures underline Mainoo’s importance after a period in which he had slipped down the pecking order under Ruben Amorim.
Mainoo enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2023-24, scoring the winning goal for Manchester United in the FA Cup final before starting for England in the Euro 2024 final.
However, his position at club level changed significantly after Erik ten Hag was dismissed and Amorim took charge in November 2024.
The Portuguese manager introduced his preferred 3-4-2-1 system and initially selected a midfield pairing of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro instead of Mainoo.
“Kobbie is really good at controlling the game, but if he plays as an eight he has to reach the box and return,” Amorim said. “Sometimes he has to cover a lot of space with just two [players].
“He could play as a six, but sometimes he passes the ball and goes away, which is not a reference as a six.
“We have to balance everything. He has the technical ability but he needs to understand the position better. He needs to play in different speeds – sometimes lower, sometimes faster. He can improve on that.”
Mainoo did not start a single Premier League game under Amorim during the first half of last season. He could have departed Manchester United in the January transfer window had Amorim not been sacked.
Mainoo returns under Carrick
Michael Carrick’s appointment brought a change in shape, with United returning to a back four. Mainoo was restored to the starting line-up immediately and impressed during a 2-0 victory over Manchester City.
He has since started 17 of United’s 19 Premier League matches following Carrick’s arrival. The two games he did not start ended in defeats, with United losing 2-1 at home to Leeds and 2-0 away to Hull City.
Mainoo also produced an outstanding display alongside Youri Tielemans against Ipswich Town as United recovered from a poor start to win 5-2 at Old Trafford.
Carrick praised the midfielder’s contribution after the match, while also acknowledging Bruno Fernandes’ influence.
“I understand Bruno will get a lot of credit today, and he deserves that as well, but I thought Kobbie was immense in the middle of the pitch for us and underpinned the performance of the team,” Carrick said.
