Graeme Souness insists Kobbie Mainoo shouldn’t be starting every week for Manchester United – he’s not good enough yet

Kobbie Mainoo isn’t yet good enough to be a regular Manchester United starter – it’s unfair he’s being asked to carry the midfield.

That is the view of Liverpool legend Graeme Souness, who believes the 19-year-old is not the world class talent Red Devils fans have made him out to be.

Mainoo has earned rave reviews since breaking into the first team last season, where he has become a key player for both United and England.

The teenager scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final last season against Manchester United, while also starting in the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.

But he has been unable to help United get off to a good start this campaign, with Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to rivals Liverpool their second successive Premier League loss.

Erik ten Hag’s side never laid a glove on the Merseyside outfit, who at one point performed a training ground exercise with ease – much to the anger of United’s fanbase.

It was in midfield where United were literally run rings around, with Casemiro at fault for two goals, with Mainoo’s error leading to the Reds’ third.

And talkSPORT pundit Souness believes Mainoo should be used in a rotational system by Ten Hag as he matures into the player fans think he already is.

Speaking on White and Jordan on Monday, he said: “I have to say this, I’m not being unkind, Mainoo might be a player, but it’s so Man United.

“This is not to be critical of Man United, it’s never been any different.

“But when someone comes on the scene at Man United, in my days they were the ‘new George Best’, or the ‘new Bobby Charlton’, the ‘new Denis Law’.

“It is FC Hollywood, they call Bayern Munich in Germany ‘FC Hollywood’, that’s Man United here.

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“If anyone shows anything, they’re put into superstardom category, way before they’ve even become a good player.

“And Mainoo right now should be a player that’s flitting in and out of a good team – not coming in and being asked to stand up and play against the very best teams.

“He might be a player one day, but he’s certainly not the go-to man at United like they’re making him out to be in midfield.

“They got ran over, they were not in the game yesterday.”

From Mainoo’s four appearances this term, United have been on the losing side three times following their Community Shield defeat to City, and subsequent top-flight losses against Brighton and Liverpool.

For Mainoo, his attention will turn to international duty for England ahead of the Three Lions’ upcoming Nations League clashes with Ireland and Finland.

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