Before Carrick became the manager, Mainoo was close to leaving the club after a difficult time under Ruben Amorim. However, since Carrick took over, he has excelled.
Mainoo has started every match under the new manager, delivering another strong performance against Fulham, keeping up his impressive form.
Carrick has placed Mainoo back in a central position for United, where he has contributed significantly to each victory and collaborated well with Casemiro.
After the win against Fulham, the English head coach praised Mainoo in a press conference.
“Without the ball, he was excellent. With the ball, he handled pressure well. He maintains his style and knows what is needed. Moments of quality are expected from him, but it’s easy to forget how young he is,” he remarked.
“Watching him play with such confidence today was truly satisfying.”
Carrick’s experience as a midfielder makes him well-equipped to help Mainoo realize his potential and develop his skills.
Kobbie Mainoo’s resurgence under Michael Carrick has been a key highlight of the season
Amorim seemed unsure about Mainoo for reasons not fully understood, even though the midfielder had already demonstrated his ability to compete at this level. This uncertainty clearly impacted him.
Carrick has assisted the 20-year-old in regaining both his confidence and form, returning him to the levels he showed before Euro 2024. This turnaround has been impressive.
Owen Hargreaves noted how remarkable it has been for Mainoo to return after a lengthy absence and perform well against strong opponents, mentioning that few can achieve what the Carrington product has done.
Carrick deserves recognition, not only for believing in him but also for organizing the team in a way that plays to the young midfielder’s strengths.
There appears to be much more in store for him this season.