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The teenager’s emergence over the last month has represented one of the few reasons for optimism at Old Trafford over the course of a turbulent campaign.
Mainoo helped quell the threat of Forest’s midfield during a tepid opening 45 minutes at the City Ground and it was a huge surprise when he failed to emerge for the second period.
Ten Hag opted to introduce Scott McTominay but the Scotland international was conspicuous by his absence in the build-up to both of Forest’s goals in the second period.
‘He makes a substitution I think that has a really big effect on the game,’ former United goalkeeper Schmeichel told Premier League Productions.
‘Yes, I said this before I can understand you want McTominay on, but not for the guy you take off.
‘The guy you take off Mainoo is such a good player and he played alright. He was controlling that part of the pitch very, very well.
‘There was no need to make that change when you have other players on the pitch that are doing absolutely nothing for you. I question the substitution and what that signals to the rest of the team.
‘Why do you want to make a change at half-time? Is that so you can make three breaks in the second half, you don’t have to make two? Is that it?
‘Or is to make an impact? If you want to make an impact you have to leave impact players on. That had a very big effect on the game.’
Forest legend, Stuart Pearce, agreed with Schmeichel and went a step further by accusing Ten Hag of taking the easy way out.
He said: ‘Sometimes as a manager you go in at half-time and you feel you have to make a change to make an impact and get a turnaround in mentality in many ways.
‘When the substitution was made and you take a young kid off who I didn’t think was doing badly for me it sends a bad message.
‘He’s the one bright thing but it sends a message out that I’ve took the easy way out, that’s how I see it.’
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