Ruben Amorim has fired a warning at Kobbie Mainoo after he has revealed that he is competing for a midfield place with Captain Bruno Fernandes from Manchester United.
Mainoo, 20, was an unused replacement in Craven Cottage and watched from the couch while Fernandes Wild skied a fine of the first half before Emile Smith Rowe had canceled the own goal of Rodrigo Muniz to force part of the loot.
Amorim used all five of his changes, but did not apply Mainoo when United returned, instead an appeal to defenders Harry Maguire and Ayden Heaven.
Mainoo also did not receive a single minute during the 1-0 defeat of United by Arsenal in their Premier League opener, despite his teammates who wasted a large number of opportunities.
He has only started 15 of Amorim's 44 games so far and is the victim of the head coach's preference to combine an attacking midfielder alongside a defensive partner in his system. Fernandes of course remains an undisputed starter.
Consequently, it is Fernandes that Mainoo has to come loose to earn minutes.
Amorim said: 'Mainoo is fighting for his position at Bruno. I have changed two midfielders. I left Mason Mount there because we wanted to score a goal and when I changed, I felt that the team needed a midfielder.
“So he has to fight for his position at Bruno. He is currently fighting Bruno for the position in training. '
Amorim started on Sunday with Fernandes next to Anchor Casemiro, before he replaced the last by Manuel Ugarte. Mount was also fallen back in the deeper role.
Hoping to resolve his lack of midfield drive this summer, Amorim had focused on Brighton Carlos Baleba, but he missed his asking price of £ 100 million.
Earlier this summer, Gary Neville had warned his former club against the sale of Mainoo despite their PSR headache.
'Mainoo, no. That's a step too far, “Neville said. 'If we can't give Kobbie Mainoo a job in those two in midfield … I look at Mainoo and the way he plays football and I think a top club would like him. Why can't we make him a top player?
'If he is one of us and he has shown talent. I don't know what has been going on in recent months.
“He clearly had some injuries that caused him a problem, so he must stay fit, but I would like to think he could be one of those two in midfield.”