(Credit: Imago, Getty)

Evan Shaw

Tue 31 March 2026 21:38, UK

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Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has surely done enough to be on the plane for this summer’s World Cup.

The 20-year-old started alongside Elliot Anderson in the middle of the park as England were beaten 1-0 by Japan on Tuesday night, and he was one of the standout performers under the Wembley arch.

Thomas Tuchel was left with plenty of food for thought after his team were beaten by Kaoru Mitoma’s first-half strike, as several players failed to truly stake a claim to be in the manager’s thoughts for the upcoming tournament.

However, Mainoo appears to have given the boss plenty to think about after his display, as he turned in a typically assured performance at the heart of the team.

He is set to play a key role in Manchester United’s push for the Champions League in the coming weeks, and his upturn in form under Michael Carrick looks set to be enough to see him book his spot on the plane to North America.

Kobbie Mainoo shines in England loss vs Japan

Mainoo has turned his season on its head since Ruben Amorim was sacked by United, as he has gone from being frozen out by the Portuguese to becoming a key player again under Carrick.

That saw him earn a recall to the England squad for the March internationals, and he has done everything he can to stake his claim to be part of the group that travels across the Atlantic this summer.

The youngster hardly put a foot wrong in the defeat to Japan, as he ended the game with an eye-catching 94 per cent pass accuracy.

Mainoo’s performance showed everything that you want in a centre midfielder, as he also completed two successful dribbles, nine recoveries and won six of his eight duels throughout the game.

The United star is set to face a serious battle to earn a starting spot in the middle of the park, such is the form of Anderson and Declan Rice at the moment, but he has surely cemented his place in the squad with his latest display.

Tuchel will know that he needs reliable characters throughout his group, and as a result, Mainoo would definitely be an excellent backup for the starting pair in North America.

Mainoo’s England resurgence to add urgency to Man United contract talks

Football Insider revealed earlier in March that United remain confident of agreeing a new deal for Mainoo, despite recent reports suggesting that talks had stalled between the player and the club hierarchy.

The starlet is due to enter the final year of his current deal in the summer, although the Old Trafford outfit also have the option to extend those terms by a further year.

If Mainoo were to go to the World Cup and impress, then it would add even greater urgency for the Red Devils to reach an agreement, as it would undoubtedly see his stock rise again.

A positive summer would surely see several potential suitors queue up to try and sign the United acadrmy product, and they would need to move quickly in order to fend that off.