Mount has to become a leader at Man United and take them to 'the next level'

Mason Mount made his much-anticipated Premier League debut for Manchester United on Monday night during their 1-0 win against Wolves.

The former Chelsea star, who arrived at Old Trafford earlier this summer on a £60million deal, started the game alongside Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in midfield.

But Wolves tested United on the night, driving through the host's midfield to cause several problems for Erik ten Hag's side.

It is the first time Mount has featured in a Premier League game since April, after an injury had sidelined him for the back end of last season - but what can Manchester Untied fans expect from him this season?

Speaking on Mail Sport's new preview show 'It's All Coming Up' - the short and sharp little brother of Mail Sport's new weekly podcast 'It's All Kicking Off' - football editor Ian Ladyman suggests the England international needs to become a leader in United's midfield and must up his performances in order to take his new side to the 'next level'.

Alongside him was columnist Chris Sutton who argued that Mount will be 'absolutely fine' and will 'prove himself' over time.

The pair hotly debated Mount in their pre-weekend chat...

IAN LADYMAN: Now United have spent a bit of money this summer, they've not spent as much money as others but [Andre] Onana was one of their big signings. Another was a player that I'm a huge fan of is Mason Mount who they've bought from Chelsea, terrific footballer Mason.

What I'm interested to find out this season is whether he has a big enough personality to carry and lead that United midfield because that's something that he wasn't really asked to do at Chelsea where he was surrounded by senior players. Do you think that's going to be a part of his makeup?

CHRIS SUTTON: You'll have to explain that one to me again. So you're saying that Mason Mount doesn't have the personality to fit in at Manchester United?

LADYMAN: No, I'm asking you whether he's got the personality to step up and be a real leader in that team that's what I mean. Not to play in that team but he's a big signing and he's a player who's approaching his peak years he needs to lead that midfield, does he not?

SUTTON: I think he does. Do you know what, though? Mount has been one of those players throughout his career who always seems to take a fair bit of flack and he has to prove himself time and time again. You know, Gareth Southgate loves him. Frank Lampard loves him.

He did well at Derby, made the step up at Chelsea and performed exceptionally well. And again, I think we're sort of writing him off after one game, essentially. I think over time he will prove himself. He's gone into a midfield with the likes of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes - two experienced players, but I think that over time he'll be absolutely fine.

He, like a lot of Chelsea players last season, didn't perform as well as they should have done. But again, I'm not going to write Mason Mount off at this moment in time.

LADYMAN: Just to underline, I'm not writing anybody off, I'm just inviting you to write some people off, that's all. It's you that I want to see in the headlines after this podcast, not me.

SUTTON: We can't do it after one game. And the other thing is I'm slightly bewildered about the personality line. Would you say one of Manchester United's greatest ever players, Paul Scholes, in terms of personality on the pitch, expressed himself brilliantly, didn't he? I don't know where you're going with that.

LADYMAN: Yeah, absolutely. And that is it. And that will be the challenge for Mason; to take his football from kind of eight out of 10 every week to nine out of 10 every week and lead that team around the field.

That is kind of what I'm getting at really, because he came from a Chelsea team where he had people like N'Golo Kante around him and others and experienced defenders behind him into a team that is in transition, needs a real step forward. And he's a big signing. He's one of the ones who's got to lead that team to the next level.

'It's All Coming Up' is the punchy, short and sharp little brother of Mail Sport's new weekly podcast 'It's All Kicking Off', featuring Chief Football Writer Ian Ladyman and star columnist Chris Sutton on a heated pre-weekend Zoom chat.