Manchester United youngster Kobbie Mainoo is about to discover where he stands with Erik ten Hag

Kobbie Mainoo started for Manchester United against Real Madrid in Houston in the summer and that felt significant.

Erik ten Hag had given minutes to peripheral and young players in the friendlies preceding that game, but he picked his strongest team to play Los Blancos and Mainoo made the starting line-up.

Mainoo had been the best player on the pitch against Arsenal in New York and he started alongside Casemiro and Mason Mount in midfield, up against Luka Modric, Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni.

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It was a chance for the younger to cut his teeth against some of the world's best players in his position, but that opportunity was unfortunately cut short just a few minutes into the game when he sustained an ankle injury.

Three months of rehabilitation followed for Mainoo and he made his return to action for the Under-19s against FC Copenhagen at Leigh Sports Village, a far cry from the 80,000-capacity arenas in the States.

That was Mainoo's first appearance on a pitch in public for 90 days and he was substituted at half-time, with club sources indicating that was a pre-planned decision to carefully manage his return from injury.

Just a few days later, Manoo was named on the bench for the Manchester derby and Ten Hag said: "Still a way to go, but he's ready for a part of the game. That's good news because he's a midfielder player and we can use his capabilities, his physicality, his taking of the ball and he's brave. All of his abilities and skills, he can contribute to the team."

United played Newcastle in the Carabao Cup next and Mainoo was expected to be involved with the first-team, with many