Wayne Rooney has urged Thomas Tuchel to hand Kobbie Mainoo his first World Cup start in Wednesday’s last-32 tie against DR Congo, as England prepare for what Alan Shearer warns will be a defensive battle. The Three Lions topped Group L after a 2-0 win over Panama, but Shearer believes Tuchel’s side will face the same low-block tactics that frustrated them against Ghana and Panama. “If it is going to be DR Congo, then I guess they’re going to play the same as Ghana and Panama have today, where it will be defensive and they will try and hit England on the break,” Shearer told BBC 5Live. “And that’s when you’re more reliant on players producing that piece of magic to get you out of a tricky spot.”
Mainoo, 21, has not played a competitive minute in the tournament, having failed to get off the bench in the group games despite featuring in four recent friendlies. The Manchester United midfielder has regained his form under Michael Carrick after falling out of favour under former manager Ruben Amorim. Rooney, speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, said he would pick Mainoo over Elliot Anderson, who started all three group matches. “I’d go with Declan Rice sitting, and I’d go with Mainoo and Jude Bellingham,” Rooney said. “Mainoo can give you a bit of both, but in tight areas, that’s Mainoo’s biggest strength – his feet in tight areas, and then he has got a little pass. I think he’s the only one who is capable of doing that in those tight areas.”
“Rooney urges Tuchel to start Mainoo over Anderson in England's World Cup last-32 tie with DR Congo.”
Anderson, meanwhile, is on the verge of a club-record £116m move to Manchester City from Nottingham Forest, a deal agreed after City’s third bid. The 23-year-old, who scored for Forest in a 2-2 draw at City in March, told BBC Sport he is blocking out the transfer noise: “It’s pretty easy really, I’m just focusing on the present, I’m blocking it all out. I’ve got a plan and it’s to perform for England.” Rooney, though, cautioned that big-money moves can backfire, citing Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish. “I’m gutted Manchester United didn’t get him,” he said of Anderson, “but we’ve seen it when players go for big-money moves – they sometimes don’t fit in.”
Former England striker Emile Heskey expressed surprise that Tuchel turned to 36-year-old Jordan Henderson instead of Mainoo to see out the Panama win. “I was surprised Jordan Henderson was in the squad,” Heskey said. “And to see out the game you bring on a 30-something-year-old and not a 20-something-year-old to do the same. He probably has three more tournaments ahead of him and can grow into the tournament. I’m not sure how I’d feel as Kobbie Mainoo.” The match kicks off at 17:00 BST and is live on BBC One and BBC Radio 5 Live, with a place in the last-16 against Mexico or Ecuador at stake.