Mainoo left unused again as Tuchel picks Reece James in midfield for England's World Cup quarter-final win

Kobbie Mainoo was again left on the bench without a single minute as England defeated Norway in the World Cup quarter-final, with Thomas Tuchel turning to Reece James as an auxiliary midfielder rather than the Manchester United teenager.

James, returning from a hamstring injury sustained against Ghana, replaced Anthony Gordon in the 71st minute and was deployed in a midfield role. “We put in James as a six, which freed up Elliot Anderson at the eight, and Jude back on the 10,” Tuchel explained after the match.

It continues a frustrating tournament for Mainoo, who has not featured for a single minute in the United States. He is one of three outfield players in the England squad — alongside Trevoh Chalobah and Ivan Toney — yet to be given any game time. Earlier in the tournament, Tuchel passed over Mainoo in favour of 36-year-old Jordan Henderson when seeking a substitute against Panama.

Mainoo’s route to the World Cup squad was itself an unlikely one. He did not start a Premier League game for United last season until Ruben Amorim was sacked in January, at which point incoming manager Michael Carrick immediately restored him to the starting eleven. A run of sparkling form in the second half of the campaign was enough to earn him a place in Tuchel’s plans.

“Obviously there were difficult times,” Mainoo told reporters in the USA. “But I tried to keep my focus on what was in front of me, take things day by day and just keep working my craft, keep working hard for the team, and I hoped the rest would come. Thankfully it has.”

He was also quick to credit Carrick for his World Cup opportunity. “Definitely, and I told him that I was very grateful. Because if he hadn’t put me on the pitch, then I wouldn’t have been here so I’m always grateful to him for that.”

Mainoo’s United teammate Marcus Rashford is also in the England squad after spending last season on loan at Barcelona, where the Spanish club opted against making his move permanent. Rashford, who has two years remaining on a £325,000-per-week contract signed in 2023, said he had wanted his club future resolved before the tournament began. “I wanted to be fully present in the moment,” he said. “We’re fighting for something special.”