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ALEX IWOBI SHOWS OFF "TAPED FINGERS" AFTER PAINFUL CLASH WITH KOBBIE MAINOO

Alex Iwobi sends a hilarious message to Kobbie Mainoo after suffering a hand injury during Manchester United’s 3-2 win over Fulham.

Alex Iwobi shows off "taped fingers" after painful clash with Kobbie Mainoo
Kobbie Mainoo set for massive Manchester United contract extension

Alex Iwobi had a message for Kobbie Mainoo after a run-in during Manchester United’s wild 3-2 win over Fulham. Both of them started that game, which saw Benjamin Sesko grab a late winner for Michael Carrick’s side.

United took the lead thanks to Casemiro and Matheus Cunha, but Raul Jimenez scored from the spot, and then Kevin smashed in a screamer to pull Fulham level near the end. But then Sesko, off the bench, hammered in a beauty to seal the points.

That win kept Carrick’s record perfect as interim coach—he’s already picked up big wins over Arsenal and Manchester City. The return of Amad and Bryan Mbeumo from AFCON, plus Harry Maguire finally getting back to full fitness, have all played a big part in that run.

Mainoo getting back into the starting lineup has made a real difference, too. With him in midfield alongside Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes has finally shifted back into his preferred attacking role. Mainoo’s been impressive lately, and Iwobi’s still feeling the effects of their clash last Sunday.

On his YouTube channel, Iwobi joked, “Shout out Kobbie Mainoo, but Kobbie, man… You absolutely finished my hand. This guy has Ghanaian strength!” He even held up his hand to show two of his smallest fingers taped together.

Nobody’s said exactly what Mainoo did to his hand, but judging by Iwobi’s comments, it happened during a fight for the ball—and Mainoo came out on top.

Funny thing is, just a month ago, it looked like Mainoo would be heading out on loan. Amorim had only given him a bit over 200 minutes all season. Once the old boss admitted Mainoo was directly competing with Fernandes for a spot, he barely played.

Napoli were interested in taking him on loan, and the Italian champs already have Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund on their books.

But now, instead of leaving, Mainoo’s more likely to sign a contract extension this summer—the club’s ready to start talks. He’s got 18 months left on his current deal, and if Carrick sticks around, he’ll definitely want to keep him.

Carrick talked up Mainoo at a press conference the other day, especially about how he’s working with Casemiro in midfield.

“Sometimes we pigeonhole players too quickly, but it’s not always like that,” Carrick said. “Kobbie can play different roles. But with Cassie in the middle, they’ve formed a really good partnership in the last couple of games and have been huge in controlling the team.”

RASHFORD DEAL REGRET: MAN UTD "FUMING" AS BARCELONA PREPARED TO SNAG STAR FOR £26M

Manchester United regret the £26M Rashford deal: Discover why his Barcelona form and England recall have sparked a major row.

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Marcus Rashford returns to England squad for 2026 World Cup duty

Manchester United’s top brass are kicking themselves over the Marcus Rashford deal. Letting him go to Barcelona for just £26 million? That’s starting to look like a huge mistake.

Since landing in Spain last summer, Rashford has turned things around. He’s bagged 10 goals in 35 games, clawed his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, and now United figure he’s worth closer to £50 million. On top of that, other clubs are circling, hoping to snag him in the summer.

Back when they loaned him out, United gave Barcelona first dibs, capped at £26 million. Now, some folks at United are fuming about how they structured the deal. They’d rather see Rashford go anywhere else.

The thing is, Rashford loves life at Camp Nou and wants to stay. Barcelona see that, and they might even try to negotiate the price down further.

There’s talk that Michael Carrick, United’s interim boss, would welcome Rashford back in a heartbeat. Too bad there’s no recall clause. Even if everyone wanted a reunion, the contract blocks it.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United’s co-owner, still wants Rashford’s wages off the books. But the thought of Barcelona grabbing their 28-year-old star on the cheap doesn’t sit well with him.

Funny enough, Rashford’s one of United’s best-paid players, but over at Barcelona, he only comes in sixth on their pay scale. Manager Hansi Flick is pretty keen to keep him around, too.

Off the pitch, Rashford’s settling in. He bought a swanky flat in Esplugues with killer views of the Collserola mountains and is soaking up the Catalan lifestyle.

His £15 million-a-year United contract runs until 2028, but he’s told friends he’s not looking back. Leaving his boyhood club wasn’t easy, but he’s made his call.

He’s set to be picked for Tuchel’s England squad for the World Cup in North America this summer. 

WORLD CUP BOUND? THOMAS TUCHEL CONFIRMS KOBBIE MAINOO IS "BACK IN THE PICTURE" NOW

Gary Neville blasts Ruben Amorim for "killing" Kobbie Mainoo's confidence. Discover how Michael Carrick revitalised the United star.

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Michael Carrick has proven that Kobbie Mainoo is the real engine of Manchester United.

Gary Neville didn’t hold back about Ruben Amorim’s decision to keep Kobbie Mainoo on the sidelines. He called it the worst move Amorim made as Manchester United manager. Mainoo, just 20, didn’t start a single Premier League match before United sacked Amorim on January 5. Then Michael Carrick took over. Suddenly, Mainoo became a fixture in the lineup, and United rattled off four straight wins. The kid’s form has been so good; he’s now pushing for a late spot in England’s World Cup squad this summer.

Back when Amorim was running things, Mainoo thought he’d have to leave just to get the game time he needed for England manager Thomas Tuchel to notice him. That’s exactly why Neville thinks Amorim’s refusal to give Mainoo a chance helped lead to his downfall.

“Kobbie Mainoo didn’t even get a chance under Ruben, really,” Neville said on Stick to Football. “If you look at Mainoo now, in this team, it’s just obvious that was Ruben Amorim’s worst decision.”

After Amorim lost his job, Neville went even further. He said Amorim “killed” Mainoo’s development. “Honestly, I never liked how Mainoo was handled,” Neville said. “We’ve talked about it a lot on this show. When Amorim said at the start of the season that it was either him or Bruno Fernandes, I didn’t agree. It killed Mainoo’s confidence, and then he barely played just that one cup game against Grimsby.”

Now, with Amorim gone, Mainoo has a shot to keep proving people wrong, starting with United’s trip to Everton next Monday. Another strong game, and he’d make a real case for Tuchel to call him up for England’s friendlies in March.

Tuchel himself just said Mainoo is “back in the picture” for England, along with United teammates Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw. Speaking at the Nations League draw on Thursday, Tuchel called Mainoo “a huge talent". He added, “He’s already played a tournament for England from start to finish. So he’s back, and so are Luke and Harry. Suddenly, there are a few players back in the mix. United are playing with a back four and a different style now, which fits better with what we’re doing. That’s real competition.”

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