Former West Ham and Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker believes Kobbie Mainoo has a psychological challenge to overcome if he is to convince head coach Ruben Amorim to give him a shot at Manchester United. Speaking on BBC's Football Daily, Reo-Coker reflected on how quickly narratives can shift at the top level, particularly for young players. "The interesting thing is, it wasn't so long ago that this same manager said that Kobbie Mainoo was in competition with Bruno Fernandes for his place in the team," Reo-Coker said. When you lose your confidence, especially to a manager, unless you're really strong-minded, it's not easy to get it back. "We know Mainoo is ruled out for the Newcastle game, but it sounds like he's expected to come back before Fernandes.

Source: BBC December 26, 2025 12:17 UTC