Former Manchester United player Nicky Butt has cautioned England coach Thomas Tuchel against deploying midfielder Kobbie Mainoo during Wednesday’s World Cup semifinal match against Argentina.
Butt expressed concerns that the Manchester United player is feeling demoralized due to a lack of playing time. Throughout the tournament, Tuchel has favored a midfield partnership consisting of Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, leaving Mainoo on the sidelines.
During an appearance on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Butt suggested that throwing a player into such a high-stakes match without prior game time could lead to poor performance. He argued that Mainoo would likely struggle to reach the necessary intensity required for a semifinal, making it safer to keep him off the pitch entirely.
