Mason Mount could become a successful Man Utd signing by accident

IF a Manchester United player mirrors their manager then it is Mason Mount.

More than two years on from his £60million switch from Chelsea, Mount was a Premier League scorer at Old Trafford in his man of the match performance against Sunderland on Saturday.

Mount has belatedly shown glimpses he is starting to get going at United. Time will tell if Ruben Amorim has the time to do likewise.

Mount, 26, was treated to a standing ovation when he was substituted in the second half at the weekend, clear recognition for his impact.

With Jude Bellingham unattainable and Declan Rice out of their price range, United brought in Mount to be a central midfielder under Erik ten Hag in 2023. It was clear on his debut next to Casemiro that the pair were a mismatch.

Two years on, Mount and Casemiro are still starters and integral to Amorim’s set-up. Both were recalled against Sunderland and the duo are compatible with the Portuguese’s 3-4-2-1 system.

Casemiro is a more dependable holding midfielder than the impetuous Manuel Ugarte while Mount started Champions League and European Championship finals as one of the two playmakers behind the striker.

Given how dogmatic Amorim is about his 3-4-2-1 system, Mount, bought for a 4-2-3-1, could become a successful signing by accident.

“I see myself as bringing a lot of energy into the team and setting off the press at times, being a bit of a catalyst going forward,” Mount said.

“So, yeah, that's always something that I focus on, helping the people around me and really bringing the energy.

“And to get the goal was obviously massive for me, getting the first goal of the season at home in the Premier League. Important. So, yeah, I really enjoyed that.”

Amorim has repeatedly expressed his “love” for Mount. That bond is so ardent it led to Mount’s promotion to the Europa League final starting XI, a decision that convinced Alejandro Garnacho to want out.

“I have a good relationship with the manager,” Mount acknowledged. “I don't think it's any better than all the other lads.

“I think I have the experience of playing a similar formation to what he likes as I have played it before in the past.

“So knowing the roles and what he wants out of the team resonates with me because I've done it before. So, I think that's something that I obviously understand.

“I think all the players understand it now. But I think at the beginning, especially, it was something that maybe he could lean on me because I know the positions.”

United’s unravelling this season has been so acute that Amorim resorted to sending Mount on to occupy the left wing not once but twice.

Gary Neville dubbed Mount’s role there at Brentford “ridiculous”. Mount was restored to his natural playmaking role against Sunderland, whose promising start against United was clinically ended by the midfielder’s swift finish in the eighth minute.

“I think it was later on in the game,” Mount recalled of his stints on the left.

“We were pushing for a win and he moved me to the left side. I actually played there against Grimsby. I came on at the end of the left side.

“It was more me just trying to get forward, getting into the box, linking up. Obviously, he brought Josh (Zirkzee) on as well. So there are a lot of players in the middle.

“But having me in that kind of role that I play normally. It was only for a brief period.”

United have a plethora of No.10s - Mount, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Amad, plus auxiliary options Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo.

Cunha, erratic in the disjointed defeat at Brentford, made way for Mount at the weekend as he started on the bench.

Cunha is in the Brazil squad that faces exhausting jaunts to South Korea and Japan for friendlies this month, all but ruling him out of United’s first game after the October internationals at Liverpool on October 19.

Mount, without an England cap since the 2022 World Cup quarter-final loss to France, will be fresh after another squad omission. Provided he is fit, Mount is a seemingly certain starter at Anfield.

His injury against Burnley in the third league game of the season marked the third successive year that Mount had succumbed to injury in August.

Mount only missed one game - the derby reverse at City - and for the first time in his United career he is properly undroppable..

As long as Mount performs, Amorim may stay in a job.