Kobbie Mainoo has a chance of earning a recall to the England squad after becoming a regular starter for Man Utd again.

On Wednesday, Michael Carrick backed Kobbie Mainoo to earn a recall to the England squad. Mainoo has a chance of going to the World Cup this summer because Carrick reintegrated him.

If Ruben Amorim had seen out the season in charge, Mainoo would have watched the tournament from home, but a change of manager has sparked a turnaround in the youngster’s fortunes.

Mainoo has started every game of Carrick’s tenure so far. “You can always improve on a lot of things, just the age he’s at, there is so much more to come and develop, that’s the stage he’s at in his career,” said Carrick.

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“He’s got a lot of areas to improve. He’s doing really well, not having a lot of football to come in and play a run of games. He found his rhythm quickly and his natural flow. He was really good again at the weekend, putting in a performance where he did a little bit of everything. Really impressive.”

Mainoo has quietly got back to his best over the last two months, and he will be desperate for a phone call from Thomas Tuchel ahead of the upcoming international break.

During Euro 2024, Gareth Southgate said England had not had a player like Mainoo, who started in the final against Spain. Incredibly, Mainoo has not been called up to an England squad for over a year.

In September, the Manchester Evening News reported that representing England at the World Cup was a huge motivation for Mainoo to reclaim his starting role at United. Mainoo now has a chance of realising that ambition, and he will be grateful to Carrick for helping him into an improved position.

“I’ve known Kobbie a long time,” Carrick recently told the BBC. “I started working with him when I think he was 13 or 14, when I was starting to do my coaching badges – a good few years ago. Just little bits.

“And then, obviously, when I was here the first time, he was in and around a little bit. So I think knowing him and having experience with him and seeing him perform at such a level on such big occasions.

“I said earlier about coaches being able to cope with being here and at the level to deal with it. What Kobbie’s done at such a young age is quite incredible really. We forget how young he still is.

“I was just a big fan of watching him play and knowing what he was capable of. So it wasn’t really a big decision to play him. And, to be fair, it’s not easy when you haven’t played to find your rhythm and find your form.

“There are things he can get better at, things he can improve on, but we haven’t really got started on any of that because we’re just letting him go and find his flow and find his rhythm of playing football again.

“I’ve been really conscious of not giving him an awful lot – a couple of little pointers, a bit of positional things and some little bits here and there – but trust in what he is. He’s a fantastic footballer and he’s got a huge talent.”

Carrick has made Mainoo feel valued again, but Travis Binnion’s role should not go unnoticed. Binnion coached Mainoo to FA Youth Cup glory and continued to work with him at Under-21 level.

“Kobbie doesn’t give you much!” said Darren Fletcher when he was caretaker. Carrick said Mainoo is “quite straight-faced and doesn’t give you an awful lot,” when he took over as interim head coach, but if there is anyone at the club who truly understands the midfielder, then it’s Binnion.

Binnion took the position of first-team coach in Carrick’s backroom staff, and his presence would have been a boost for Mainoo. “Kobbie’s strengths all the way through have been he’s composed, brave and elite level with the ball, in terms of it won’t matter when he plays in the Premier League because he won’t be fazed by it,” Binnion told the MEN in 2023.

“Of course, he’s a young player and he’ll have some tough moments, but he will excel on the ball. The challenge for him is the same for all young midfielders: the pace of the game, off-the-ball work and transitions.

“He’s going to excel when we have possession. He’s strong in contact and good in both boxes. He can defend well in one-on-one situations and he’s diligent when tracking runners, so he’s going to be fine.”

Mainoo has been fine since the appointment of Carrick and his backroom staff.