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Kobbie Mainoo’s excellent England display last night is bad news for Manchester City man
Manchester United teenager Kobbie Mainoo is the talk of the town after his stunning England display last night, as the Three Lions came from behind on two occasions to draw with Belgium at Wembley.
Having only played 23 times at senior level for Manchester United, Mainoo was drafted into the senior England set-up by Gareth Southgate last week – before making his England debut in the 1-0 loss to Brazil.
Then, on Tuesday night, Mainoo won his second cap – given a start in midfield alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham. Mainoo was superb, playing a huge role in the first goal, as Ivan Toney scored his first.
His change of direction and pace fed Bellingham – and the Real Madrid star laid in Toney, who was fouled by Jan Vertonghen, Toney scored the resulting penalty. He lasted 73 minutes, before being subbed off.
Kobbie Mainoo form is bad news for Man City’s Kalvin Phillips
Such was his display, that Mainoo won the man of the match award. Toney praised Mainoo for the teen’s character after the match – while Joe Cole was full of praise in his analysis of the 2-2 draw with Belgium.
With Euro 2024 on the horizon, and England not playing again until Southgate actually picks his squad for the competition in the summer – Mainoo looks nailed on. Rob Green told him to keep his summer free.
England lack options in that area of the pitch and with Jordan Henderson playing for a struggling Ajax side, James Ward-Prowse failing to build on his early West Ham form – Mainoo’s emergence is welcome.
For Kalvin Phillips, it will be a hard watch. The 28-year-old left Man City in January to join West Ham on loan until the summer – with the hope more games and better form would ensure his Euro 2024 place.
Mainoo has overtaken Phillips in the race for a Euro 2024 ticket
While Henderson and Ward-Prowse may still have a chance of making the plane to Euro 2024, Phillips is really struggling for form. Already, he has been dropped by David Moyes at West Ham. His form, poor.
If there was any dwindling hopes that Phillips might be on the plane to Euro 2024 with England, and an upturn in form between now and the end of the season might have given him that – it is now over.
That is because of Mainoo. Playing in that box-to-box, no.6 role alongside the more-defensive Rice, Mainoo sparkled and that now ends any chance of Phillips making Euro 2024. Mainoo has taken his place.
Plenty can change between now and the end of the season and Phillips may well rediscover the form that saw him earn a move to Man City from Leeds. But as things stand, Mainoo has over taken Phillips.