Man Utd star 'taking the p** out of Casemiro' sent clear message from Paul Scholes

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Manchester United legends Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt have both thrown their support behind Kobbie Mainoo as the promising midfielder continues to find himself excluded from Ruben Amorim's starting XI. Mainoo has managed just 183 Premier League minutes this season, all as a substitute, with Amorim yet to hand the 20 year old his first start.

The youngster has been with United since joining their academy at the age of nine, working his way up through the system before establishing himself in the first team during the 2023/24 campaign under Erik ten Hag . However, since Amorim's arrival last November, the midfielder has found it difficult to cement a regular place in the starting lineup.

Amorim has remained resolute in his squad vision, banishing several first-team players to what became dubbed the "bomb squad" - including Marcus Rashford , Jadon Sancho , Antony , Alejandro Garnacho and Tyrell Malacia. Whilst Mainoo wasn't amongst that group, his lack of playing time is beginning to cause worry.

Over United's previous three fixtures, he has featured for a mere 13 minutes in total. The midfielder's predicament is beginning to frustrate Scholes, with the United legend suggesting he's so talented he's likely 'embarrassing' Casemiro during training sessions

Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast , he said: "Ruben Amorim has said Kobbie Mainoo is a starter... every appearance he's made in the Premier League has been as a sub. Things like that wind me up.

"I wouldn't mind if he was in a good team and they were winning every week and keeping possession but they're rubbish. Kobbie is a 20-year-old kid and he's not playing, he's going to have to leave. Do you know what will happen now? Amorim will bring him into a game and he won't be great but that's because he needs regular games.

"Fair enough, as a manger sometimes you just don't fancy a player. But look at what he's already done – scored the winner in an FA Cup final, played every game in the Euros.

"I bet he takes the p*** out of Casemiro every single day in training and is brilliant. I don't know why the club are letting Amorim treat a homegrown talent like that."

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Despite facing previous criticism, Casemiro has shown marked improvement this season and clearly enjoys Amorim's confidence. However, at 33 years old and with his deal running out next summer, the Brazilian isn't viewed as a long-term answer.

Butt remains furious about Mainoo's situation and has dropped hints about where the midfielder might end up. He declared: "The Kobbie one is an absolute joke. I went to the West Ham game [a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford] and it was an absolute s***show. It was a terrible, boring game".

"The player to bring on to change the game, in my opinion, was Kobbie Mainoo – but he didn't get on the pitch. He'll be another homegrown player who leaves and is a superstar somewhere else.

"If Mainoo was playing for another Premier League club, United go and buy him for £70m or £80m. Now we're going to sell him and he'll be a superstar elsewhere like McTominay, Elanga, Henderson – we can mention loads of them.

"We're getting rid of players who love the football club, it's mind-boggling. I get the Garnacho one because his attitude and behaviour was terrible but you don't hear that about Kobbie.

"He's a top, top, top player that we are f****** up. Kobbie has got to go. If I'm looking after him I'm telling him "we're getting you out of that football club".

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"For his football career he has to leave United, he's lost 18 months of development. I hope he goes abroad because it's embarrassing if he goes to Chelsea , which could happen.

"They might go and get him because they are putting together a very good, young squad and keep buying young players. He could quite easily end up at Chelsea next season.

"I've known Kobbie since he was eight but you wouldn't be doing him justice if you told him to stay and not to take that move. That's such a sad thing for me to say."

Scholes agreed, saying: "Do you know what? You'd have to advise him to go [to Chelsea], wouldn't you? If he rang me and said 'look, Chelsea are interested, what do you think?' I'd say go all day long."