Paul Scholes didn’t mince his words. The Manchester United legend publicly blasted manager Ruben Amorim after Kobbie Mainoo was left on the bench during Thursday’s 1–1 draw with West Ham — a post that he later deleted, but not before it lit up social media.

Scholes vs. Amorim: A Brewing Storm at Old Trafford

Mainoo’s season has been reduced to scraps. The 20-year-old has played only 265 minutes across all competitions and hasn’t started a match since United’s Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby Town in August.

Yet Amorim insisted last month that he sees Mainoo “as a starter like the other players,” adding that his choices simply “haven’t been Kobbie.”

Scholes was having none of it. When Mainoo once again failed to feature — despite Amorim using all five substitutions — the former midfielder unleashed a blistering verdict on Instagram.

“Bulls,” he wrote. “The kid is being ruined, not being played in a team that can’t control a game of football.”
He went further: “Hate seeing homegrown players leave but it’s probably best for him now. Enough is enough.”

Scholes’ frustration comes from admiration. He has long championed Mainoo’s talent, famously describing him as the closest thing he’s seen to Zinedine Zidane in the modern game.

His praise was poetic: Mainoo’s calmness, his ability to glide, his confidence in receiving the ball — traits Scholes admitted took him years to develop.

Yet those gifts remain unused.

Meanwhile, Amorim defended his selection choices in his post-match press conference.

Asked whether he regretted his substitutions, he dismissed any second thoughts and even challenged the reporter on who he could have brought on to add more attacking impetus.

When Mainoo’s name was suggested, Amorim laughed.

With tensions rising and Mainoo’s development under scrutiny, the divide between a club legend and the current manager seems to be widening — and the young midfielder sits silently in the middle, waiting for a chance that suddenly feels further away than ever.