Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has thrown his full backing behind Mason Mount.
Mount started in the first four games of the pre-season and played superbly in midfield alongside Andrey Santos.
He was unfortunate to suffer a knock against Paris Saint-Germain that forced him to miss the last two friendly contests and the opening Premier League game against Hull City.
Mount has returned to training this week and could make his comeback today when Ipswich Town arrive at Old Trafford.
Carrick was asked at his pre-match press conference whether Mount can still make a significant impact despite injuries repeatedly disrupting his progress.
The 45-year-old said: “Yeah, 100 per cent. Mase can have a big impact, no doubt. He’s a top player and he started pre-season and came through pre-season particularly well.
“He hasn’t missed an awful lot of time, so he’ll get up to speed pretty quickly.”
Mount looked increasingly at home in midfield during pre-season and appeared destined to start against Hull before the untimely injury intervened.
Unfortunately, similar setbacks have repeatedly arrived just when the 27-year-old appears to be building momentum.
At the beginning of last season, Mount looked completely in sync with his teammates and appeared ready to make his mark.
Former manager Ruben Amorim even deployed him as a false nine, and Mount responded with a series of encouraging performances before another injury brought his run to an abrupt halt.
Carrick was also asked whether Mount can finally overcome the mental barriers created by his repeated injury setbacks.
The head coach responded: “He’s a really top character and personality and does a lot of the right things with the right intentions.
“He’s the type you can really have a good relationship and understanding with.
“He was disappointed to pick up this small knock that he did, but it won’t knock him for what’s coming next in the season ahead.”
Mount has struggled to truly kick-start his United career since completing his £55 million move from Chelsea in 2023.
The England international has earned the admiration of former managers Erik ten Hag and Amorim, while Carrick also holds him in high regard because of his intelligent footballing brain and relentless tenacity.
Yet the numbers tell a worrying story, with Mount having missed 70 games for United over the past three years.
This season could represent a genuine make-or-break campaign for the midfielder, and another lengthy spell on the sidelines could force United to consider cashing in next summer.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com