Manchester United legend Nicky Butt has expressed concern that Kobbie Mainoo could harm England's chances if called upon in the World Cup semi-final against Argentina. The Three Lions face the defending champions on Wednesday night in Atlanta, seeking a place in the final.
Mainoo's Limited Role
Mainoo is one of the few England players yet to feature in the tournament. Manager Thomas Tuchel has preferred a midfield pairing of Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice. Rice's fitness issues could force a change, but Butt hopes Mainoo remains on the bench.
“Do you know something? I actually hope Kobbie Mainoo doesn’t come on now,” Butt said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast. “Because he’s probably so down, he’s not played and he’s not kicked a football in a real game. He’s been training, obviously, but if he goes in now, the only thing he can do is bad. He’s not going to be at the level to go and play at that level in a semi-final. I hope he doesn’t come on.”
Paul Scholes Weighs In
Former Manchester United teammate Paul Scholes echoed the sentiment, noting Tuchel's apparent reluctance to use Mainoo. “It seems like it’s anybody but Kobbie Mainoo for Thomas Tuchel at the minute,” Scholes said. “He’s bringing Reece James on who hasn’t played for three weeks because of a hamstring injury. Only Tuchel will know why, I can’t imagine Kobbie being a problem in the camp. But every manager has their favourites, of course they do.”
Henderson's Injury and Impact
Mainoo's chances for minutes increased after Jordan Henderson broke his arm in a freak accident following England's last-16 win over Mexico. Henderson is expected to miss the rest of the tournament, though he may still be included in matchday squads. Midfielder Morgan Rogers praised Henderson's influence: “That just shows what he is like as a person and as a guy. I think hopefully he can still be involved with us for the rest of the tournament. He’s not going to rule himself out and neither are we. He is kind of the heartbeat of the group.”
Historic Clash
Wednesday's semi-final will be the first time Lionel Messi faces England. The match is a repeat of the 2022 World Cup final, which Argentina won on penalties. England reached the semi-finals after a 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway, while Argentina beat Switzerland 1-0 in extra time.
Butt concluded: “It’s anybody but Kobbie for Tuchel. He won’t be the first one to go to a World Cup and not play a minute, there’s a few players who have done that.”
