Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Mason Mount shining in defensive midfield is Michael Carrick’s stroke of genius, but that success is down to his teammate.
After being an ever-present name in defensive midfield for every pre-season game so far, it’s fair to count Mason Mount as a genuine option for that position.
It’s an experiment that started in the last game of the previous season, but it has gone better than anyone expected.
A major reason why is because of his teammate, something that wasn’t the case last season.
Manchester United v Atletico de Madrid - Pre-Season Friendly
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
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Mason Mount is thriving next to Andrey Santos
Mount has partnered with Andrey Santos for each defensive midfield appearance, and he has already credited the Brazilian for helping him thrive in that role.
That was clearer than ever before against Atletico, where Santos’ positional discipline allowed Mount to do his best skills.
At his best, Mount is an extremely intelligent player who knows where the gaps are, which is the pressing zone, how to trigger it, and when to speed the game up.
That is a role best used with space in front of him, which defensive midfield provides, and with plenty of positional freedom.
Because Santos is happy to drop between the centre-back and occupy a deeper role with discipline, Mount can balance attack with defence without disrupting the balance of the team.
That wasn’t possible with Casemiro, who, by the end of his time at Old Trafford, was basically an attacking midfielder in disguise.
Mount in a deeper role wouldn’t work next to Casemiro, no matter how good the Englishman is. It is because of Santos that this partnership works.
Michael Carrick is all-in on Mount-Santos pairing
It speaks volumes that Carrick identified this partnership from the very first game of the pre-season and didn’t break it at all.
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They always played together, largely came off together, and their minutes ramped up slowly, together again.
Clearly, this is a pairing that fills Carrick with a lot of trust, and so far, they have given him no reason to doubt that belief.
In fact, they are improving with every game as they learn about each other and develop a playing relationship on and off the ball.
Santos is only one defensive midfielder, but his presence has gifted United another in Mount.