DARREN FLETCHER’S teenage son Jack has travelled with Manchester United’s squad to face Tottenham on Saturday.
But Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez were not spotted travelling to London from Stockport station on Friday afternoon.
Jack, 18, stars as a midfielder in United’s Under-21 team and has been linked with breaking into Ruben Amorim‘s squad since August.
The teenager was included in a senior matchday squad for the first time in October 2024 for the match against Brentford.
He was also an unused substitute for games against West Ham and Chelsea in the following weeks.
His twin brother, Tyler, also plays for United’s academy side.
Amorim did not clarify United’s team news at his pre-match press conference.
But Mainoo was missing from the travelling pack, while Martinez returned to full training last week for the first time in nine months.
It comes on the day Mainoo, 20, again missed out on England selection after a lack of minutes.
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The Euro 2024 star has not started a single Premier League game this season, only being named in the XI for the dismal defeat at League Two Grimsby.
Mainoo has played 138 minutes of Prem football from the bench and was an unused sub during United’s 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest
Mainoo’s absence from the squad will be of concern to the Old Trafford faithful.
The England international wanted to move on to pastures new in the summer.
His desire to leave the Theatre of Dreams was in part due to falling down the pecking order under Amorim.
In January, the Portuguese gaffer claimed he wanted to keep the midfielder on the books.
But Mainoo has only started ONE of United’s eleven games this season.
Despite seemingly being surplus to requirements, Mainoo has been a consummate professional in training.
Amorim has been impressed by the midfielder’s efforts but admits there’s no room for him in his starting XI at this moment in time.
He told beIN Sports: “Every minute we are using to prepare the future with a lot of games and less training.
“We are giving a lot of information, we are working on our fitness because we need to keep momentum during the week with good training, really intense.
I see Kobbie Mainoo training today, and he deserves to play.”
Ruben Amorim on Kobbie Mainoo
“When you have more games you are just concerned about recovery. We suffered a lot from last season.
“People forget we played two and three days all of the time and that was really hard for us.
“But then you have the other side. I see Kobbie Mainoo training today, and he deserves to play, but then I have to take one guy [out] that’s playing really well.
“We should have played in the Carabao Cup, because I need to see Kobbie Mainoo playing, I need to see Josh.
“All of these guys deserve to play, but in the end, it is one more game you need to make choices. So you have both sides.”
Mainoo’s potential absence from the matchday squad could spell the end of an incredible club record.
A player from the club’s academy has featured in each of United’s matchday squads for the last 85 YEARS.
Mainoo ensured that the record was maintained by featuring in United’s last four matchday squads.