Kobbie Mainoo has to start next England game as Man United star sends message after 8/10 showing

Jason Cundy believes Kobbie Mainoo brought enough composure to England against Slovenia that he must start their next game.

England have qualified for the knockout stages of Euro 2024, finishing top of Group C and now look set to face the Netherlands, but this is yet to be confirmed.

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Despite getting through to the next round, Southgate is yet to settle on a consistent starting XI, switching around his midfield options once again in Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Slovenia.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – a right-back – started the tournament in midfield, but was swapped for Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher on Tuesday, who was withdrawn at half time for Mainoo.

The 19-year-old earned a 8/10 player rating in talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham’s review of the game – and Cundy believes his showing has earned him a place in the starting XI.

He told the Sports Bar: “In the subs that came off the bench, [Anthony] Gordon, Mainoo – Mainoo’s got more of a chance because he made a big difference – you’ve got to start him there.

“Then you’ve got a problem, how do you play [Phil] Foden and Bellingham in the same team if you’re playing a 4-2-3-1? Where do you play Foden?

“Foden on the left, you can’t say it’s worked. There might be a little bit more space for us to operate as the Dutch will come onto us.”

When his co-host Jamie O’Hara – who lost his head with Southgate during the 0-0 – asked if England should play Bellingham as a ‘sitter’ with [Declan] Rice, Cundy doubled down on his view on Mainoo.

“But you’re then experimenting again,” the former Chelsea player said. “They’re three games in. Mainoo has got to start. We saw enough on how much more composed we were.”

Manchester United legend Gary Neville was also singing Mainoo’s praises, stating the midfielder must start in the next round.

“I’m certain Mainoo will start the next game,” he told ITV. “He thought Conor Gallagher may be the option, obviously for the energy we talked about before the game.

“It was quite obvious we needed someone in there who would get us playing and Mainoo does that. I think [Adam] Wharton is capable of that as well.

“I think the more substitutes we made, the more we looked less rigid. We looked so basic in the first half, it was a struggle to watch that.

“It moved forward a lot in the second half. We didn’t get the result, but there were glimpses of what we can be.”

Mainoo rose from Man United’s academy into the first team this season, making 32 appearances and netting five goals and bagging one assist in that time to earn him a spot at Euro 2024.

When Mainoo was asked about him and fellow substitute Cole Palmer’s role moving forward, he said: “Yeah, me and Cole we’re ready whenever we’re called upon like the rest of the lads are.

“You know, we train hard and then when we get our chances we try and impress and try and help the team as much as possible.

“I love football, I love playing so anyone who’s on the bench wants to come on the pitch.”

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