Marcus Rashford’s brother has highlighted his absence in Germany, Jack Grealish’s cheerleaders lamented his omission before the England squad took off from Birmingham Airport and Gareth Southgate rued the unavailability of Kalvin Phillips.
Nobody has mentioned Mason Mount, a starter in the European Championship final three years ago. Mount has not played since England were ejected from the World Cup by France in December 2022 and his career has been 18 months of decline.
Naturally, Manchester United signed him a third of the way through this period. Then a gradual decline became steep.
Mount started once in the Premier League after October 7 and missed 32 of United’s 52 fixtures through injury. When Erik ten Hag confided to those at Carrington that certain players’ defeatist mindset contributed to their injuries, Mount was one who sprang to mind.
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Mount managed one goal and one assist. A potential breakthrough away to Brentford, where he put a rudderless United in front on 96 minutes, was quashed by a 99th minute equaliser. When Mount was eventually upgraded to starter, it was at Selhurst Park for the season’s nadir.
To compound Mount’s malaise, Bruno Fernandes has the Sir Matt Busby statue back in his abode and Kobbie Mainoo is the United fans’ darling. Both occupy positions eyed for Mount.
Should Fernandes, the club captain and standout performer of the post-Ferguson era, stay then Mount is not ousting him. Mainoo is the club’s poster boy with a central midfield spot reserved ad infinitum. One of the handful of respectable England performers against Slovakia, United really ought to maximise the nationwide love-in and confirm Mainoo’s squad number now their new shirt is on sale.
Mainoo and Mount is not a compatible partnership, particularly with Fernandes at the apex of the midfield triangle. Yet all three were accommodated in pre-season XIs from New Jersey to Houston last year.
In the former against Arsenal, Mount was paired with Mainoo for the third game running. United won 2-0, albeit in a game their starters made way at half-time, and Mainoo more than held his own against Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. As inconsequential as the friendly was, it marked a sea change in the United midfield.
Four days later against Real Madrid, Casemiro was recalled in what would have been the starting side for the opening Premier League fixture against Wolves but for Rodrygo colliding into Mainoo’s ankle. United had a problem in Houston.
Mount started that watchable 2-0 loss behind the striker, with Fernandes shifted to the right. Fernandes is as dependable as the chameleonic actor and United fan Gary Oldman; whatever new role he assumes, he performs. United’s two wins against Manchester City under Ten Hag were with Fernandes on the right and as a false nine.
Fernandes’s selflessness offers Mount a chance. He and Casemiro were a midfield mismatch and the Brazilian may have played his last competitive game for United. Fernandes, as robust as he is, turns 30 in September and he has had his head turned by interest from Champions League clubs. Mount’s best chance of salvaging his United career is to return to the playmaker role he made a name for himself in at Chelsea.
Ten Hag was misguided in plumping for Mount to bring dynamism to the midfield but it was a signing of convenience. Mount had entered the final year of his contract at Chelsea.
United were regularly piqued by coverage of the club last season but can be economical with the truth themselves, such as when Mount was billed as a first-choice target. They would have rather had Jude Bellingham or Declan Rice or Frenkie de Jong.
£55million up front for a 24-year-old England attacking midfielder and veteran of European Championship, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and World Club Cup finals was not extortionate and United spun the deal as a negotiation success. Then-football director John Murtough “held the line” during discussions. Hook, line and sinker. Chelsea were the only winners in the sale of an injury-prone player running down his contract.
Mount has an uphill task to succeed at United. He is one year into a four-year deal and the years fly by quicker than Mainoo’s tap-dancing feet. Anthony Martial was dining off a first United hat-trick this time four years ago. He scored a pitiful 23 more goals for the club in his final four seasons.
Though Mount isn’t in Germany, he will be in Trondheim, Edinburgh and the United States with United this month. Mainoo and Fernandes won’t be. Mount has five games to settle back into the side.
And give England a glimpse of what they missed.