Manchester United are at last going to see their dream midfield in action - but for someone else

Over the next few months, it feels almost certain that at some stage Kobbie Mainoo is going to share the centre of a pitch with Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham. It's a matter of time until it happens and the only question after that is for how long that triumvirate will make England's midfield their personal playground.

Mainoo feels like the missing link - metaphorically and literally - between Rice and Bellingham in the Three Lions' engine room. Without wishing to pile too much pressure on an 18-year-old with just 23 first-team appearances to his name, Mainoo should slot in perfectly into that midfield and have a long international career ahead of him.

His rise at United this season has been astronomical, a feat even more impressive given the difficulties the team has endured during a season damaged by injuries and beset by on-pitch difficulties. Mainoo has risen above it to run the midfield at times, outshining Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes.

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He is proving too difficult to ignore and that was proven on Tuesday when Gareth Southgate promoted him from the Under-21s to the England senior squad. After his performance against Liverpool on Sunday it was clear he was going to have to skip the age group and go straight into the squad for friendlies with Brazil and Belgium at Wembley.

Mainoo will almost certainly make his debut in one of those games, although there is no guarantee yet he will play alongside Rice and Bellingham. These are friendlies, after all. But there is clearly a midfield place up for grabs in Southgate's team and previous incumbents Jordan Henderson and