Erik ten Hag was the one who pushed Manchester United to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea in July 2023. The Dutch coach is convinced that Mount is an important link in the playing style he wants to build.
To the point that Ten Hag still maintains the belief that the midfielder is absent from most of their time together at Old Trafford is one of the reasons for his sacking.
Mount has only started seven Premier League games in nearly 15 months under Ten Hag. Nearly a year later, the former Man United coach still believes that things could have been different if the English player had maintained better physical condition.
Although he has returned to the "Red Devils" starting lineup in recent weeks, Mount's injury has not fully recovered since Ruben Amorim took over. This has put the former Sporting CP coach in a similar situation to Ten Hag - trying to use the English midfielder as much as possible, while limiting the risk of him recurring injuries.
Even after scoring against Sunderland - his first goal of the season and the first Premier League goal at Old Trafford - Mount was still substituted in the 66th minute. How well he plays is not a decisive factor. Instead, Amorim has determined Mount should not play for more than an hour.
"He played very well. We just try to control Mason Mount's playing time because he has just returned from injury" - Amorim shared after the match.
For Amorim, keeping Mount on the pitch for another 30 minutes is unnecessary, especially with a tough away trip to Anfield against Liverpool ahead of the international break. This could be the start of a challenging four-game run, including clashes with Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. This period of time could have a big impact on Amorim's future at Old Trafford before Christmas.
Mount was one of the first players Amorim met at the Carrington training centre when he took over as head coach in November 2024. During his recovery from injury, Mount has been working hard at the gym while most of his teammates are resting or on international duty. That was also the time when Amorim felt the spirit and professional attitude that he always promoted.
The Portuguese coach has tried to clean up the dressing room of negative influences, leading to the departure of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho. Mount, by contrast, is seen as a model of the spirit Amorim wants in his squad. The England star has even attended team meetings during his injury to quickly reintegrate after recovering.
The 26-year-old is usually the one to leave the Carrington training centre the latest, as he always takes extra time to soak in ice and steam after training to maintain his best physical condition. Instead of flying abroad during international holidays, Mount chose to stay with his family and play golf to relax.
Mount has also proactively helped his teammates better understand the tactical system Amorim applied, having played in a similar formation under Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea.
"I think I have experience playing in a squad that is similar to the style Amorim likes. I have played that role before, so I understand what he expects from the club. Maybe from the start, he can rely on me because I know the positions and how the system works" - Mount shared after the goal against Sunderland.
Not only is Mount knowledgeable about tactics, he also gives Amorim a different option. He was selected to start against Sunderland to replace £62.5 million signing Matheus Cunha, who joined Man United in the summer transfer window.
It was not an easy decision. Despite Man United's struggles since the start of the season, Cunha has been impressive. However, he is a true striker, while Mount brings more balance in midfield - something Amorim highly appreciates.
With the arrivals of Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, Man United now have more dangerous attackers. Mount, however, has a different value. He knows how to apply effective pressure, narrow the opponent's space when he does not have the ball and support two midfielders to drop deep at times when Man United are overwhelming.
That is the key factor that helps Amorim's system operate smoothly against opponents who often play with a 3-man midfield in the Premier League.
