Kobbie Mainoo has missed England's World Cup third-place game against France on Saturday night due to injury, the Football Association has confirmed. The 21-year-old Manchester United midfielder was not named in the matchday squad for the fixture in Miami.
Mainoo's World Cup absence
Mainoo has not played a single minute of England's World Cup campaign but was expected to feature in their final game of the tournament. However, the FA confirmed that the 21-year-old is absent due to injury, leaving him out of the squad entirely.
After being consistently left out of United's starting line-up by Ruben Amorim last season, Mainoo impressed in the second half of the campaign under Michael Carrick and earned a place in Thomas Tuchel's squad this summer. Yet many have been baffled by Tuchel's refusal to play Mainoo at the World Cup, particularly with Declan Rice struggling with a hamstring injury and illness.
Criticism of Tuchel's decision
Tuchel's decision to overlook Mainoo throughout the World Cup has been widely criticised, especially after England's 2-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina. Ex-Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville said on The Overlap: 'Honestly, we were absolutely dead out on our feet. We couldn't get out of the box. 'We literally get pushed back, and then the midfield players sag back onto you because their legs have gone. I think the three of them [in midfield] were all absolutely out on their feet.'
Neville added: 'You look at today, Declan definitely, he's not been right since day one, has he? That's a big problem for us. Him not having the energy and the speed to get to the ball. We know what he's like; he's a fantastic player. 'Kobbie Mainoo would be asking a question, wouldn't he? You'd be wanting answers if you're Kobbie Mainoo after not coming on at all. Because he can handle the ball a bit as well.'
Butt's controversial advice
Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt urged Mainoo to make himself unavailable for the match. 'I'd just refuse to play if I was Kobbie Mainoo. I'd say I was injured,' Butt said. 'It's a nonsense game, especially when you've been treated like that. 'He's not played a minute of football, now to go and start this pointless jumped-up friendly and potentially get injured for the whole season… no.'
England vs France confirmed line-ups
England: D. Henderson; Quansah, Konsa, Guehi, Spence; Rice, Eze; Saka, Rogers, Rashford; Toney. Subs: Pickford, O'Reilly, Stones, Anderson, Kane, Bellingham, Chalobah, J. Henderson, Burn, Gordon, Watkins, Madueke, Trafford, James.
France: Maignan; T. Hernández, Lacroix, Konate, Gusto; Rabiot, Zaïre-Emery, Doue; Cherki, Olise, Mbappe. Subs: Akliouche, Barcola, Dembele, Digne, L. Hernandez, Kante, Kone, Kounde, Mateta, Risser, Saliba, Samba, Tchouameni, Thuram, Upamecano.
