Kobbie Mainoo out of England squad: How do James Garner and Adam Wharton compare to Man United starlet?

Everton star James Garner has been called up by Thomas Tuchel after Kobbie Mainoo pulled out of the England squad through injury. 

It was reported by the England official account on X that the Manchester United midfielder was among the absentees, joining Cole Palmer, Tino Livramento, Marcus Rashford and Declan Rice.

It was believed that the midfielder picked up an injury in United's 1-1 draw with Fulham, where he played 80 minutes before making way for Mason Mount. 

It is a big blow to a player who went the whole 2026 FIFA World Cup without getting a minute in an England shirt.

Following the news, Garner, the Everton midfielder, who has waited for his chance, got the nod over Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton.

With this new development, we compare the trio using their 2025-26 performance, look at what each player would offer England, and decide who would be a better pick.

Here, FootballWhispers takes a look at how Mainoo, Garner and Wharton compare from a statistical standpoint, using league data from the 2025-26 seasons.

Player comparison

Kobbie Mainoo

Mainoo's figures come from a season split in two after making his most appearances in the second half of the 2025/2026 season. 

After 15 league games, he had not started once and had played just 183 minutes under previous manager Ruben Amorim. 

He then became a regular under Michael Carrick and by the end of the campaign was a nominee for the Premier League's Young Player of the Year award. 

The midfielder went on to play 28 games, having 1,653 minutes, scoring one goal, providing two assists and making 13 shots, with three on target. 

His goal came from just 0.63 xG, so he was slightly ahead of what his chances suggested. His impact in Man United’s third-place finish earned him a spot at the World Cup.

James Garner

Garner was the most reliable of the three by some distance, having played all 38 league games for the Toffees and 3,414 minutes. 

He finished top of the group in every attacking category, with two goals, seven assists, 45 shots and an xG of 2.18.

Nine goal involvements are the highest total among the three players, and his 14 shots on target are double anyone else's. 

His two goals from 2.18 xG suggest he took his chances at about the rate you would expect for a midfielder.

Adam Wharton

Wharton played 34 games and 2,562 minutes for Crystal Palace last season, which is about 75 minutes per match. 

His shooting volume was decent at 32 attempts, but only seven of them were on target.

He scored once from 1.45 xG, the lowest of the three, and his five assists came at a rate of 0.18 per 90. 

So the creativity was there, but the finishing did not follow, making his chances of being called up slim.

Mainoo vs Garner: Who offers more to England?

In raw totals, Garner is miles ahead, with 45 shots to 13, 14 on target to three, and nine goal involvements to three. 

However, the Everton star played more than twice as many minutes, with his stats showing that he would offer more to England.

The stats show that Garner has had more influence in attack than Mainoo and is more of a threat going forward.

This season, despite the Red Devils' form in their first five games, Mainoo has provided one assist for his team.

Mainoo vs Wharton: Who is more suitable for England?

Wharton is ahead of Mainoo on almost every rate, having had more consistent playing time last season. 

However, Mainoo is marginally better with his shot at goal, at 23.1% to 21.9%, despite both players scoring one goal each.

Wharton has been part of the debate over England's No.6 role for some time, and he was also more available, with 34 appearances against Mainoo's 28. 

If suitability means output over a full season, Wharton's case is the stronger one and edges this comparison, due to Mainoo losing the first half of last season.

Garner vs Wharton: Who would have been a better pick for England?

Garner leads in every category, and he is the better pick for the England team over Wharton.

On this evidence, the Everton man was the better pick, narrowly on quality and more clearly on availability. 

By the end of last season, no Premier League player had made more tackles or interceptions than Garner.

With Tuchel looking for a combative midfielder like Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, Garner has the physicality, is a proven ball-winner and is reliably fit.

The midfielder now has a chance to prove Tuchel right after receiving a call-up to the squad following Mainoo’s injury. 

He will be hoping to get a chance when England open their Nations League campaign against Spain at Wembley on 26 September.