Paul Scholes believes that Kobbie Mainoo has the potential to significantly impact England’s success under Gareth Southgate.

Former England midfielder Paul Scholes believes that Kobbie Mainoo could be the player to turn around the fortunes of Gareth Southgate’s side at Euro 2024. Despite earning four points from their first two matches, The Three Lions have faced criticism for their performances.

England began their campaign with a 1-0 victory against Serbia, but a lackluster 1-1 draw with Denmark left fans feeling uninspired. In their final group game against Slovenia, Southgate is expected to make a change in the midfield position after referring to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s role as an “experiment.”

Speaking to TNT Sports, Scholes expressed his support for the young Manchester United star, Mainoo, to fill that role. Scholes believes that Mainoo, along with Declan Rice, is one of England’s best midfielders. He sees Mainoo as a long-term asset to the England squad, bringing quality and experience to the midfield area.

Mainoo had a breakthrough season with Manchester United, scoring the decisive goal in their surprising FA Cup final win against Manchester City. Scholes believes that Mainoo’s inclusion in the team will also benefit Phil Foden, allowing him the freedom to make a greater impact on the pitch.

Scholes draws comparisons to players like Toni Kroos and Rodri, who have the ability to make their teams play football. He believes that Mainoo possesses that same quality and that his inclusion could make a significant difference to the team’s performance.

Despite Scholes advocating for Mainoo to replace Alexander-Arnold, he does not believe that the Liverpool player should be completely removed from the starting XI. Scholes acknowledges that Alexander-Arnold is not a natural midfielder and suggests that he should be utilized in his preferred right-back position.

Scholes proposes pushing Alexander-Arnold to left-back, displacing Kieran Trippier. He believes that Alexander-Arnold’s ability on the ball would be an asset in that position.

While Scholes does not anticipate drastic changes from Southgate for the next match, he hopes that Mainoo will be given the opportunity to make a significant impact. Scholes believes that Mainoo has the potential to change the perception of the team and elevate their performance to a higher level.