Kobbie Mainoo in FPL

Ranit Paul

FPL Thought: Is Kobbie Mainoo the Latest ‘Out-Of-Position’ Player in the Game?

Best Budget Picks in FPL, FPL, FPL Midfielders, Kobbie Mainoo, Manchester United

It was a nervous afternoon in May. The two Manchester-based rival clubs locked horns in a football match with silverware at stake. For Erik ten Hag, it was a chance to save his job, which seemed all but over.

Two teenagers turned the tide, scored goals, and handed the Dutch manager his second trophy in two seasons. Kobbie Mainoo, a rare talent who was chased by both the Manchester clubs at the age of six, was the one who gave his coach a much-needed lifeline. 

After the departure of two managers, one interim and one permanent, Kobbie Mainoo found himself playing as a no.10 in a Manchester United shirt. The city of Bucharest was decked up for the Europa League match between FCSB and the red side of Manchester, with the last-16 qualification hanging in balance. 

It was surprising to see the young Mainoo being deployed as a no.10 while Bruno Fernandes who has owned the position for long, operated from a much deeper zone. Kobbie, who had his first brush with a major international tournament at Euro 2024, scored a goal and assisted another. 

After being sidelined in the middle of the season due to a muscular injury and seeing his minutes being managed after the recovery, Mainoo shone like a jewel on a European night to remember for the Red Devils. Come gameweek 24, he started the match against Crystal Palace as a ‘false nine’, raising thousands of eyebrows at a packed Old Trafford. 

Though he didn’t hit the target or set up anyone, the move was backed up with reasoning by the head coach in his post-match conference: “Today we chose to play with Kobbie, to use the characteristics of Kobbie — nothing against Rasmus or Josh.” It was evident that Ruben Amorim tried to exploit his ability to play with confidence in tight areas, with the ball in his feet as well as while receiving a pass. 

If we have a look at Kobbie’s defensive displays, we will note that he lacks the killer instinct of Casemiro, Ugarte or even the new boy in the dressing room, Toby Collyer. Therefore, there’s substance in making him play high up the pitch as a no.10, a role which requires limited defensive tools. 

On the other hand, Bruno appears to have grit in abundance along with his impeccable creative flair. We may see him more in the middle of the park and Kobbie in an advanced role. Remember, in Amorim’s signature 3-4-2-1, there’s room for two no.10’s instead of one. 

With Antony joining Real Betis in a loan move and ‘forever Red’ Marcus Rashford switching allegiance to Aston Villa, options have become limited for Amorim in the United upfront. One must note that Mason Mount has again injured himself and has now missed the last eight matches in the league. 

We have seen academy graduate Collyer gaining support from his coach as a no.6 in the last few games. Hence, we can see him or Ugarte pairing up with the Portuguese magnifico in the middle of the park. 

This scenario presents FPL managers with a nice opportunity to cash on. Kobbie comes with a budget price-tag of £5.2m and is a great differential with an ownership below 2%. Though United are going through a topsy-turvy phase at present, they have shown character under Ruben — beaten City at Etihad, drawn with Liverpool at Anfield and got the better of Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. 

The fixture god looks kind with Amorim going forward, as United faces Spurs, Everton, Ipswich, and Leicester in the next five. Kobbie doesn’t have any attacking returns in Fantasy Premier League 2024-25. But I don’t think there would have been a better entry point to sign this brilliant reader of the game. And who knows better than FPL managers, what an ‘out-of-position’ player can bring to the fantasy equations — points and more points.