Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo earns his first senior England call-up. The 18-year-old has been drafted into Gareth Southgate’s squad for the upcoming March friendlies against Brazil and Belgium. Kobbie Mainoo late addition to the senior group follows an impressive performance in Man United epic 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool.
Kobbie Mainoo Impressive Performance
Mainoo has been in excellent form for United this season, making 20 first-team appearances and scoring twice. He has shown his versatility by playing in both holding and box-to-box midfield roles, but his best performances have come in the deeper positions.
Mainoo display against Liverpool was particularly impressive. He was composed on the ball, made several key tackles, and showed a maturity beyond his years. Southgate praised Mainoo’s performance after the game, saying: “I thought Kobbie was excellent. He’s a very talented young player with a big future.”
Kobbie Mainoo Potential Role in England Midfield
Mainoo call-up has led to speculation that he could solve England long-standing problem in the No. 6 role. England have struggled to find a natural holding midfielder in recent years, with players like Declan Rice and Jordan Henderson often deployed in more advanced positions.
Mainoo has the attributes to be a successful No. 6. He is a good tackler, reader of the game, and passer of the ball. He is also comfortable playing under pressure and has shown that he can handle the physical demands of the Premier League.
However, Southgate is likely to be cautious about throwing Mainoo straight into the starting lineup. The England manager has a number of experienced midfielders at his disposal, and Mainoo will need to prove himself in training and in the friendlies against Brazil and Belgium before he may be considered for a starting role.
Updated England Squad for March Friendlies
The full England squad for the March friendlies is as follows:
Goalkeepers:
- Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)
- Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace)
- Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Defenders:
- Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa)
- Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
- John Stones (Manchester City)
- Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
- Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton)
- Ben Chilwell (Chelsea)
- Lewis Dunk (Brighton)
- Joe Gomez (Liverpool)
Midfielders:
- Conor Gallagher (Chelsea)
- James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur)
- Declan Rice (Arsenal)
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
- Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)
- Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)
Forwards:
- Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
- Cole Palmer (Manchester City)
- Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United)
- Phil Foden (Manchester City)
- Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
- Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
- Ivan Toney (Brentford)
- Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
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