“He’s Taken a Year Out of That Kid’s Career!” – Kobbie Mainoo Urged to SUE Ex-Man Utd Boss Ruben Amorim by Gary Lineker as Midfielder Shines Under Michael Carrick

Kobbie Mainoo, Ruben Amorim and a Lost Year: Gary Lineker’s Blunt Verdict on Manchester United Mismanagement

There are jokes in football that land because they hit a nerve, and Gary Lineker’s latest comments about Kobbie Mainoo fall firmly into that category. When the former England captain suggested – tongue firmly in cheek – that Mainoo should “sue” ex-Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, it was more than a throwaway gag. It was a sharp, stinging summary of what many fans, pundits and former players have been thinking for months.

Mainoo, still just 20, looks like a footballer reborn under Michael Carrick. Confident, calm, demanding the ball, dictating the tempo. Watching him now, it almost feels surreal to remember that for much of the first half of the season he was practically invisible at Old Trafford, frozen out under Amorim and left watching from the sidelines as his development stalled.

Lineker’s verdict was brutal but clear: a precious year of a young footballer’s career may have been wasted.

Frozen Out Under Ruben Amorim: How Kobbie Mainoo’s Career Stalled

When Ruben Amorim arrived at Manchester United, there was plenty of excitement about a new tactical vision, fresh ideas and bold decisions. What followed, however, was a confusing and often frustrating period – especially for academy graduates like Mainoo.

Despite breaking through impressively the previous season, Mainoo found himself on the fringes. As the 2025-26 campaign wore on, his situation became harder to justify. No Premier League starts. Limited minutes. No clear explanation.

By the time the winter transfer window opened, Mainoo’s name was suddenly everywhere – not because of his performances, but because of speculation about a potential exit. Napoli, reigning Serie A champions, were reportedly leading the chase. Other Italian clubs were circling. The idea that United might allow one of their brightest homegrown talents to leave without truly testing him felt absurd to many supporters.

Amorim, however, remained unmoved. Until January 5, when United’s hierarchy finally pulled the trigger and relieved him of his duties.

For Mainoo, that date marked a turning point.

Michael Carrick Arrives and Everything Changes

Football careers can turn on timing, and Mainoo’s revival under Michael Carrick is a perfect example. Almost overnight, the midfielder went from forgotten man to automatic starter.

Carrick trusted him. Put him in big games. Asked him to play with personality. And Mainoo responded.

Four games. Four wins. Manchester City. Arsenal. Fulham. Tottenham. The toughest run of fixtures imaginable, and Mainoo didn’t just survive – he thrived.

Suddenly, the same qualities that Lineker would later rave about were impossible to ignore: composure under pressure, sharp decision-making, graceful movement, and an almost uncanny ability to receive the ball in tight spaces and escape danger.

Transfer talk vanished. Contract talks emerged instead. England whispers returned.

Gary Lineker’s ‘Sue Him’ Joke Hits Home

Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion – Emirates FA Cup Third Round

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker did what he does best: cut through the noise with a mix of humour and brutal honesty.

“If I was Kobbie Mainoo – and I say this in jest – I’d be thinking about whether I should sue him or not,” Lineker said, referring to Amorim.

Then came the line that really stuck.

“He’s taken a year out of that kid’s career.”

Lineker wasn’t done. Far from it.

“This kid is a wonderful footballer. God, he makes it look so easy. He wants the ball, he receives it with anyone around him and he turns, always makes the right decisions, he’s graceful. I mean, come on!”

For a player of Mainoo’s age, momentum matters. Confidence matters. Minutes matter. Lineker’s argument was simple: deny a talent like that regular football, and you risk doing real damage.

World Cup Stakes and ‘Free Kobbie’

Lineker pushed the point further by linking Mainoo’s club situation to international consequences.

“If he doesn’t make the World Cup squad… and I sense he probably will if he can stay fit and if he keeps playing, because he’s just a seriously good footballer.”

Then he brought up the now-infamous “Free Kobbie” t-shirt worn by Mainoo’s brother – a moment that had raised eyebrows at the time.

“I know his brother got in a bit of trouble for saying on the t-shirt, ‘Free Kobbie’, but he has absolutely got a point,” Lineker said. “What was he thinking?!”

It was a rare moment where a joke, a protest and a pundit’s rant all merged into one uncomfortable truth.

Carrick’s Calm Approach: ‘There’s Definitely More to Come’

While Lineker looked back in frustration, Michael Carrick has been focused firmly on the future. True to form, the interim United boss has been measured, protective and quietly optimistic about Mainoo’s development.

“There’s definitely more to come from him,” Carrick said. “That’s just the age he’s at, the stage he’s at in his career. You’d like to think he’s just starting out really.”

Carrick highlighted something Amorim’s reign seemed to ignore: experience gained in high-pressure matches.

“He’s got so much experience under his belt in big games and pressured situations, which is going to help him develop learning the game.”

Crucially, Carrick also spoke about Mainoo’s partnership with Casemiro, a relationship that has already started to shape the youngster’s understanding of the game.

“Playing next to Case and learning off him… he’s probably not even realising he’s picking things up just by being next to him.”

Managing Expectations Around Kobbie Mainoo

Michael Carrick Manchester United 2025-26

Carrick has also been keen to cool the hype – something United have often failed to do with young players in the past.

“Young players, they have times when they’re up and then they might have a little dip,” he explained. “That’s not all of a sudden he’s good or he’s a poor player.”

It’s a subtle but important point. Mainoo’s quality isn’t in question, but Carrick understands the danger of expecting perfection every week from a 20-year-old midfielder.

“He’s found his rhythm,” Carrick added. “That’s not easy after a period of time out, and he’s found that physically and mentally.”

Man Utd Looking Ahead as Mainoo Eyes Fifth Straight Win

Manchester United now stand on the brink of a fifth consecutive victory as they prepare to travel to West Ham. A win would not only keep them firmly in the top four and on course for Champions League qualification, but would also add another chapter to one of the Premier League’s strangest side stories.

United superfan The United Strand has vowed not to cut his hair until the club wins five games in a row. Mainoo, indirectly at least, could finally bring an end to nearly 500 days of follicular suffering.

For Mainoo himself, the focus is simpler: keep playing, keep improving, keep proving that Gary Lineker was right.

A Lesson Manchester United Must Not Forget

The Kobbie Mainoo story should serve as a warning at Old Trafford. Talent alone is not enough. Young players need trust, opportunity and clarity.

Ruben Amorim’s spell may end up being remembered for many things, but for some, it will always be associated with the question: how did a midfielder this good spend so long on the sidelines?

Under Michael Carrick, Mainoo looks like a footballer unburdened, finally allowed to grow. And as Lineker joked – only half-joked – losing a year of that growth is no small thing.

For Manchester United, the hope is that lesson has been learned. For Kobbie Mainoo, the feeling is that his career is back where it belongs: moving forward, fast.