Man Utd: £60m star could now be ‘upgrade on Eriksen’ at Old Trafford

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·22 September 2023

Man Utd: £60m star could now be ‘upgrade on Eriksen’ at Old Trafford

Highlights

A £60m star could be an upgrade on Christian Eriksen in Erik ten Hag's system at Manchester United, with his running power and work ethic.
The Red Devils man hasn't impressed upon his signing at the club this summer.
Man Utd have lost their last three fixtures in all competitions.

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Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount could be an upgrade on Christian Eriksen in Erik ten Hag’s system at Old Trafford, as journalist Dean Jones suggests to GIVEMESPORT how he could have utilised his time on the sidelines.

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The Red Devils are reeling from disappointing results since the beginning of September.

Man Utd news – Mason Mount

Following his decision not to extend his contract at Chelsea this summer, Mauricio Pochettino’s outfit had no option but to cash in on Mount, who had a year left on his deal to run at Stamford Bridge. Manchester United acquired his signature, confirming his arrival in a deal that could eventually total £60m this summer.

The 24-year-old has signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford, keeping him tied to the club until the summer of 2028. Speaking about his switch to Manchester United, Mount expressed his delight at the move (via Sky Sports):

“It's never easy leaving the club where you grew up, but Manchester United will provide an exciting new challenge for the next phase of my career. Having competed against them, I know just how strong a squad it is that I'm joining, and I can't wait to be part of this group's drive to win major trophies. “Everyone can see that the club has made big steps forward under Erik ten Hag. Having met with the manager and discussed his plans, I couldn't be more excited for the seasons ahead and am ready for the hard work expected here. I am hugely ambitious; I know how amazing it feels to win major trophies and what it takes to do it. I will be giving everything to experience that again at Manchester United.”

However, Mount did not get off to the best start during his early outings for Man Utd. An uninspiring showing in a 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers before sustaining an injury in the following weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur left the midfielder facing criticism.

Mount was ruled out for up to six weeks after picking up a hamstring issue at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but is yet to make his re-appearance for ten Hag’s side. Jones has recently suggested to GIVEMESPORT that Mount’s Man Utd career hasn’t been a disaster to start but says recent injury issues will have been challenging for him to take.

What has Jones said about Man Utd and Mount?

Jones believes that, in ten Hag’s system, Mount could be an upgrade on Eriksen, who sits behind Bruno Fernandes on the pitch. The journalist suggests his time out of the team, whilst constantly watching the side, will help him understand his role. He told GIVEMESPORT:

“In that specific system, he could be an upgrade on Eriksen. Eriksen, as a ball technician, is hard to beat. But what Mount has got is that running power, work ethic and desire to prove himself as a Man Utd player that I think will come into play once he's fit again. And I think having this time out of the team and watching them constantly from the stands will help him understand his role within that system.”

Where does Mount slot into ten Hag’s Man Utd side?

After Wednesday evening’s 4-3 Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich, ten Hag will feel United were overrun in the middle of the park and must find a way to change that. The result comes after a 3-1 home defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend, where the Red Devils were second-best in every department on the pitch.

Eriksen is used to being an advanced playmaker, sitting in the number ten role behind the striker. However, dropping him into a deeper-lying number eight position could have made United’s midfield a bit lightweight. Mount must come back into the team and replace Eriksen, utilising the Englishman’s ball-running ability and work ethic to turn the tide in midfield.

What next for Man Utd and Mount?

This weekend, Manchester United travel to Turf Moor to take on Burnley in the Premier League. Vincent Kompany’s are looking to secure their first win of the top-flight campaign.

Next week, the Red Devils face a double-header against Crystal Palace, with the Eagles visiting Old Trafford on Tuesday in the third round of the Carabao Cup before a repeat that weekend in the Premier League. Galatasaray are then the visitors to Manchester as ten Hag’s side look to respond to their opening night Champions League defeat at Bayern before welcoming Brentford in the Premier League on 7th October.