Mason Mount’s role at Manchester United has been questioned after a quick turnaround under Michael Carrick following wins over Premier League title contenders Man City and Arsenal.
There has been a significant improvement in terms of results and performances since Michael Carrick was appointed Manchester United head coach until the end of the season.
Back-to-back wins over Man City and Arsenal show that United are still capable of beating the top teams in the Premier League, based on current standings, but the upcoming fixtures will tell us whether Carrick can get the best out of these players against weaker opponents, bound to adopt a defensive approach.
In his first two games back at the club, Carrick selected the same line-up, but Patrick Dorgu’s injury will force the 44-year-old into a change on Sunday when Fulham visit Old Trafford.
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It remains to be seen if Carrick will make any more changes to the team, given they’ve got maximum points from his first two games in charge. There are arguments to be had over players deserving more game time than what they’ve got in recent weeks, but competition within the squad is required and there’s a healthy dose of that right now.
Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount are three attacking players who have yet to start a game under Carrick. Only time will tell if that changes this weekend.
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Michael Carrick is a ‘big fan’ of Mason Mount
One journalist focused on Mount at Carrick’s pre-match press conference, as United prepare to take on Fulham at Old Trafford.
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Mount is having his best season at United yet in terms of appearances, performances, and avoiding long spells out due to injury setbacks. That claim can be picked up by the statistics, too.
For instance, Mount has made 19 appearances for United this season, scoring three goals and registering one assist. Ruben Amorim was a big admirer of the England international, but so was Erik ten Hag, although the Dutchman didn’t get to utilise him enough due to injuries.
However, Mount has been limited to just one minute of football since Carrick took charge. That short cameo came in United’s 2-0 win over Man City two weeks ago, meaning he was overlooked for the 3-2 win at the Emirates.
This led to a journalist quizzing Carrick on how he feels about Carrick as a player. The 44-year-old stressed that he is a ‘big fan’ of Mount and explained his role in the squad.
“Big fan of Mason, there is so many good things to like about him,” Carrick said at his press conference.
“That’s why we have a squad. I like Mason a lot and he is an important player for this team and this club.”
Furthermore, Dorgu’s injury could see Carrick rotate between Cunha and Mount until he settles on the best option to replace the Dane while he is out injured.
Mount will get plenty of chances to play between now and the end of the season if he can stay fit.
What do you expect from Mason Mount between now and the end of the season? Where does he fit in?
Michael Carrick has backed Mason Mount…
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Michael Carrick taking each game at a time
Ahead of the game, Carrick was asked whether he will change his approach against Fulham from the games against Man City and Arsenal.
Carrick insisted that he doesn’t want to make a big deal of it because different challenges come with every opponent.
He added: “I don’t think we need to make too much of it. The feeling in the group and the squad, the past is not too relevant in terms of what has worked before.
“It is a tough game, a really tough challenge. We are not taking anything for granted, that would be bang out of order. We will deal with game in front of us.”
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