Mason Mount finally has a purpose at Manchester United. He is under a manager who sees a man previously labelled the latest £60m flop from the malfunctioning transfer machine as a pivotal piece in his mammoth restoration project.
As Manchester United threatened another great embarrassment in Plzen on Thursday night, forgotten man Mount and two-goal striker Rasmus Hojlund were the ones to step off the bench to inspire their lifeless team to victory.
Should he stay fit – anything but a given – Ruben Amorim’s system is tailor made for Mount, having been the squarest of pegs in a sea of round holes under the previous regime.
Everything is in place for a resurrection of epic proportions, starting with a decisive showing at an edgy Etihad on Sunday. It has been a long time coming.
“You see some moments and details where you can see that Mason is a proper footballer,” Amorim said a few weeks ago. “We believe in him a lot and I especially believe a lot in Mason.”
And he really did. Already worn down by the relentless media responsibilities that comes with being United chieftain, Amorim seemed to rise from his chair like a would-be emperor giving his final speech at a rally when asked what he thought of the former Chelsea forward. He really, really believes in Mason Mount.
It is certainly a marriage of convenience. The formation Amorim is so wedded to, one he has not budged on since taking charge a month ago, has been created for players like Mount.
Much has been made of Amorim’s penchant for a flying full-back, but No 10s are as integral to making Amorim-ball tick as any other position.
In Erik ten Hag’s team, Mount was either utilised as a wide forward, or a straight No 10 – a role captain Bruno Fernandes would never been usurped from for any length of time.
Where Mount comes alive is in those pockets in between, as a roaming No 10 that drifts out wide and inside in equal measure.
In two bursts into the box in the Czech Republic, Mount amassed an xG three times higher than United’s starting front three managed all match from his 29-minute cameo.
Hojlund’s struggles under Ten Hag were in part down to the fact he spent most games being wrestled to the ground by his marker, waiting, in vain, for runners to appear either side of him.
In those preferred pockets, Mount showed in 29 minutes in Plzen more exactly what Hojlund needs alongside to fulfil his own vast potential.
There are always going to casualties in any new regime. Some players who have excelled under Ten Hag and his predecessors just won’t work in Amorim’s system, and as the Portuguese has been at pains to point out, he may have been labelled “The Smiling One” already, but if he has to be ruthless, he knows he must don a different mask.
There will, however, be winners. Those who feel like previous managers just didn’t get them, and there are none more primed for a fresh start than Mount.
The writing may be on the wall for Marcus Rashford, who Amorim could not even bear to look in the eye as his listless display was brought to an end to make way for Mount on Thursday. It was a pointed reaction. No acknowledgement. Nothing. Every other player got a low five, at least.
There is no such ill-will towards Mount. With Bruno Fernandes the creator on one side and the Hojlund-Mount partnership showing promise, Amorim may have his front three in mind to give Manchester City at least something to think about.
United were beyond bad in the first half in Plzen, so City won’t be losing too much sleep about the prospect of welcoming their great rivals to east Manchester, even in the champions’ fragile state.
Mount is one ace in the pack for Amorim, however. And United need all the tricks they can muster to get any form of result tomorrow.
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