Ruben Amorim raises doubts over Kobbie Mainoo’s future as he makes ‘fighting’ claim

Kobbie Mainoo watched from the bench as Fulham substitute Emile Smith-Rowe equalised after Rodrigo Muniz’s unfortunate own goal gave Manchester United the lead

Ruben Amorim has warned Kobbie Mainoo he will need to dislodge club captain Bruno Fernandes if he wants to start for Manchester United. The 20-year-old watched from the bench as Fernandes blasted a first-half penalty over the crossbar, before Fulham substitute Emile Smith-Rowe equalised after Rodrigo Muniz’s unfortunate own goal gave United the lead.

Mainoo was also an unused substitute in the Red Devils’ 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal, where Amorim’s attackers were similarly gun-shy. However, Amorim, who is reluctant to budge from his favourite 3-4-3 formation, insists the United academy graduate is competing with Fernandes for a place in the starting XI.

Amorim said: “Mainoo is fighting for his position with Bruno. I changed two midfielders, I left Mason Mount there because we wanted to score a goal and when I changed, I felt the team needed one holding midfielder.

“So he needs to fight for his position with Bruno. At the moment he is fighting in training with Bruno for the position.” Amorim deployed Fernandes and Casemiro as his two holding midfielders, before replacing the latter with Manuel Ugarte.

Summer signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha were deployed ahead of them, while Mount was the third forward in his front three.

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Aside from a bright opening half an hour where Cunha hit the post and saw a one-on-one be saved well by Fulham keeper Bernd Leno, United struggled to create chances.

Unconcerned by the bluntness in front of goal, Amorim added: “We are going to score goals because we are creating so many chances. That is the most important thing.”

Meanwhile Fulham manager Marco Silva was furious United’s goal was not disallowed, despite Leny Yoro appearing to push Calvin Bassey in the back. Moments before his header ricocheted off Muniz on its way into the net, Yoro appeared to shove Bassey from behind.

Silva was particularly unhappy as the penalty, which was missed by Fernandes, was awarded after Chris Kavanagh consulted VAR and decided Bassey pulled down Mount.

Kavanagh gave the spotkick despite Luke Shaw also appearing to pull down Muniz a split-second after Bassey’s challenge on Mount. Silva sarcastically said: “Millions and millions saw what happened here this afternoon in terms of the VAR decisions.

“I will not say anything more. I don’t have the confidence to explain things that are impossible to explain.

“I think they did unbelievably well when they saw the penalty, that the foul on Rodrigo was half of a second after the push from Calvin. Two falls at the same time, but Calvin was half a second before – I think they were amazing and you have to congratulate them.”

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