Kobbie Mainoo is preparing to make his highly-anticipated return to action for Manchester United after sustaining an injury during the pre-season tour.
The midfielder is yet to feature for the club this term due to the ankle issue he picked up against Real Madrid in July. He has been spotted training both individually and with the squad for numerous weeks now, but reports have suggested that the coaching staff were reluctant to rush him back and risk a further injury.
Now, it looks as though he has been deemed fully fit, with United testing the waters on Mainoo’s return in a UEFA Youth League match with the U19s. He starts in the middle of the park alongside Dan Gore, who captains the side.
Mainoo’s return to first-team action
It was clear prior to the layoff that Mainoo would play a key role in the senior squad this campaign, as Erik ten Hag holds the 18-year-old in high regard. Whether or not the manager will throw him into the mix against Manchester City on Sunday remains to be seen, but next Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash vs Newcastle United could be an ideal fixture for Mainoo to make his long-awaited comeback.
