By Joshua Otieno | February 20, 2026
Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick has spoken about the importance of patience and trust in the development of young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, stressing that age and lack of rhythm played a major role in the player’s earlier struggles.
Speaking to the BBC, Carrick reminded fans that Mainoo is still very young and said he has always believed in the midfielder’s ability.
“We forget how young he still is. I was just a big fan of watching him play and knowing what he was capable of, so it wasn’t really a big decision to play him,” Carrick said.
The interim boss acknowledged that returning to form after a long spell without playing is never easy.
“To be fair, it’s not easy when you haven’t played to find your rhythm and find your form,” he added.
Carrick admitted that while Mainoo still has areas to improve, the coaching staff have chosen not to overload him with instructions, instead allowing him to rediscover his natural game.
“There are things he can get better at and things he can improve on, but we haven’t really got started on any of that because we’re just letting him go and find his flow and find his rhythm of playing football again,” he said.
Mainoo had previously struggled for game time under former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, and reports suggested the youngster was close to leaving the club after missing several matches.
Amorim had explained at the time that he could not bench Bruno Fernandes, noting that both players operate in the same position.
Since Carrick took charge, however, Mainoo has become a key figure at Manchester United, earning regular minutes and playing a crucial role in the team.
