Ruben Amorim defended his decision to continually leave midfielder Kobbie Mainoo out of his Manchester United team ahead of facing Wolves on Monday. 

Mainoo has been limited to just 171 minutes of Premier League football so far in 2025-26, with all nine of his top-flight appearances coming from the bench. 

The 20-year-old has also been an unused substitute four times this season, the latest of which came as the Red Devils drew 1-1 with West Ham in the league on Thursday. 

It has been a fall from grace for Mainoo, who started 23 of the 38 matches he featured in last term across all competitions, 16 of which came under Amorim. 

He also started England's Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain, but Amorim insisted that just because Mainoo had been a regular for the Three Lions, that did not mean he would be a guaranteed pick for United. 

"I understand what you are saying," Amorim said. "You love Kobbie, he starts for England.

"But that doesn't mean that I need to put Kobbie [in] when I feel that I shouldn't put Kobbie [in], so it's my decision."

Reports have suggested that Mainoo is keen to secure a loan move away from Old Trafford in January, with a switch to Serie A side Napoli a possible destination. 

Indeed, he could follow in the footsteps of former team-mate Scott McTominay, who starred during his first season in the top-flight for Antonio Conte's Scudetto winners. 

"I just want to win. I try to put the players, I don't see who it is, I don't care about that, I'm just trying to put the best players on the pitch," Amorim said.

"You have [Manuel] Ugarte, who played two games.

"One of them, Case [Casemiro], was out, Bruno [Fernandes], he's always fit, he's the guy that is doing his position, so maybe it has to do with that."

The possibility of that move being blocked is high, though, given United lose Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo when the Africa Cup of Nations starts later this month.

"It's the same question. I don't know what is going to happen," Amorim added when asked about the potential for more game time for Mainoo over the Christmas period. 

"It depends. I've seen the training. If it's the best thing for the team, I will put [him in], that is the only way I know how to respond to that."