Mason Mount, the blue-eyed Chelsea fan’s child, was unveiled as the club’s first acquisition of the summer transfer window, much to the delight of Manchester United supporters.
The club was used to signing big-name players during the Ed Woodward era, but this player suited the manager’s style and was brought in with a specific goal in mind.
Christian Eriksen’s inability to handle the frequency of games and the intensity of some matches, along with Fred’s assessment that he wasn’t good enough for the team, left a void in the middle of the pitch that was obvious to all.
Mount underwhelmed at OT
The England international has played in all of the games during preseason thanks to his early arrival, and he played the whole 90 minutes against RC Lens on Saturday.
Erik ten Hag very certainly will start the 24-year-old against Wolverhampton Wanderers in their Premier League debut, barring any injuries or unusual circumstances.
While it is pointless to criticize a player who has just joined the team and is adjusting to the manager’s methods, Mount underperformed versus the Ligue 1 team.
Both his new manager and the Old Trafford supporters will appreciate his off-the-ball pressure and work ethic, but what the team really needs is a creative presence capable of chipping in with important goals at crucial moments, as he did at Chelsea.
Alejandro Garancho skillfully placed Mount in a position for a golden opportunity against Lens with an open goal at his disposal. Mount, however, missed the opportunity.
Although the manager will be pleased that he is entering risky areas, he has also been guilty of blowing opportunities in prior games.
But scoring goals has been a concern for the team, and Mount needs to resolve this issue quickly.
Mount will be expected to deliver more to ETH.
The coach wants his players to take a more offensive stance, and Mount occasionally played nearly like a No. 10, although he hardly ever got the ball in danger zones.
He only received 38 touches of the ball during the course of the game, and his passing percentage was only 86 percent. None of his crosses or long balls were successful, and he also failed to make a crucial pass.
He finished the game without a shot on goal or a completed dribble, earning him a match rating that was tied for third-worst among midfielders on Sofascore.
While losing control eight times, he only lost three of his five ground battles. By no means was this a concerning performance, but the midfielder needs to start contributing when the new season begins.