I had no stake in the Manchester Derby but for want of anything better to do with my Sunday evening, I found myself watching the City-United clash. One of the surprises in Ruben Amorim’s starting eleven was the player posted on the left side of the United front-three. It’s the man who ditched the blue of Chelsea for the red of Man United last summer- Mason Mount. The United boss had been talking up Mount’s chances of returning to first-team action ever since he arrived from Sporting Lisbon. Though he admitted he “love[d] that kid”, Amorim hadn’t started Mount in any English Premier League games. But yesterday, he heeded fans’ calls to replace the fumbling Joshua Zirkzee and gave the ex-Blue the opportunity he craved to prove himself.
Time is ticking
Sadly, Mount’s Premier League start only lasted 12 minutes; he pulled up and then sat down after making a forward run. It was an agonizingly familiar sight and the player himself cut a disappointed, frustrated figure as he hobbled off the pitch to be replaced by Kobbie Mainoo. Even the Man City players reached out to comfort the distraught midfielder who appears set for another lengthy layoff. Amorim expressed confidence in Mount’s ability to bounce back again from injury, saying that needed his services for the coming run of games. But time is running out for the Portsmouth native who has spent the better part of the last two years fighting to overcome injuries.
An excellent servant for Chelsea
Though he committed the cardinal sin of joining one of our bitter rivals, no Blues fan enjoys seeing a player with such potential wasting his prime years on the treatment table. We can’t forget the seven years he gave to Chelsea, working his way up from the Under-18s to the senior team. He helped us win the UEFA Champions League and the Club World Cup just three years ago. He was our player of the season on several occasions even in the junior levels, even during the two seasons he was out on loan. He looked up to Andres Iniesta and Frank Lampard and was on his way to emulating these legends before his body began sabotaging him. Perhaps seeing the signs, Chelsea agreed to let him go in the 2023 summer transfer period.
Weight of the jersey
Since his 55 million-pound move from Chelsea FC, the 25 year-old has struggled to live up to his price tag, or the number 7 jersey he inherited from club legend and multi-Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo. It took just two premier league games for him to pick up a knock in his first season at Old Trafford. He returned for a couple of games but in November he was ruled out for another four months. It’s not yet clear how much time his latest injury setback will cost Mason Mount but for his own sake, I hope he can return to fitness before the out-of-favor Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho regain Amorim’s trust.