Erik ten Hag gives nothing away when asked if Mason Mount will start against Chelsea
Erik ten Hag remained tight lipped when asked if Mason Mount would start against former side Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tonight.
Mount left his boyhood club in a deal worth up to £60m last summer and inherited the iconic number seven shirt at Old Trafford as well as a lucrative contract.
The 25-year-old has endured a difficult first campaign with injuries limiting him to just 14 appearances in all competitions.
The England international recently returned from a calf injury which caused him to miss 21 games and came off the bench to score his first goal for the Red Devils in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Brentford.
Will Mount start against Chelsea?
Mount’s return to fitness has come just in time for a first return to Stamford Bridge where he is unlikely to get a good reception from home faithful having left under difficult circumstances last summer.
The midfielder came through the ranks at Cobham and helped Chelsea win the Champions League in 2021 and was twice named Chelsea Player of The Year.
Mount was one of Ten Hag’s main transfer targets last summer and he will be delighted that he is once again available for selection.
His first goal of the season last time out against Brentford has led to questions over whether he will be selected in the starting line-up for the visit to Chelsea.
Speaking ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge the 54-year-old was non committal and insisted it was most important that he stayed fit having suffered three injuries this season.
“He’s a fantastic football player but it’s important first that he is getting and keeping fit because he has had three injuries. Like with Licha, another injury, you want to avoid and we have to do this carefully, Ten hag said.
“The first objective is to keep him fit. Then he can benefit and contribute to the team like he did on Saturday when he had a big impact.”
Mount will no doubt be desperate to make an impact against Chelsea and help his current team keep alive their slim hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
The Red Devils haven’t lost against Chelsea in the Premier League since 2017 and won the reverse fixture 2-1 at Old Trafford earlier in the season.
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