He may be in his third season at Old Trafford, but it seems Manchester United fans are finally starting to see the best parts of Mason Mount.
When Erik ten Hag paid £55 million for the then-maligned Chelsea star, question marks arose, especially given concerns over his fitness and the Dutchman’s lack of a clear role in the system.
After early struggles, he seems to have found his feet under Ruben Amorim. Emerging as an early favorite of the Portuguese, he is currently the most consistent of the team at the Theater of Dreams and has already equaled the highest number of goals scored in a season for the club.
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Mason Mount spoke to Sky Sports about his role in Ruben Amorim’s side after Man United’s 4-1 win over Wolves.
For many, Mount is the focal point of how Amorim wants his United side to play. When he’s on the team, the team obviously does better. The Red Devils have lost just once in the Premier League when he has started, compared to three times without him. But the numbers show that it doesn’t necessarily lead to improved performance.
Ahead of what could be a season-defining test against Villa Park on Sunday, United will reveal how they plan to use the 26-year-old in their squad live on Sky Sports.
Quality over quantity – Mount makes United efficient rather than dominant
Amorim has often claimed that it doesn’t matter what formation his team lines up in. What matters is the details of how the players act in it.
“The most important thing is to create the principles, the identity and the character that we had in the past. We need time, but we have to win the time. Winning the time is winning the game. But the most important thing is the identity.” These were his exact words when he was first hired in November 2024.
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Although he did not go into details about the principles, history shows that Amorim’s teams focus on a possession-based style built around a high defensive line that allows for short passes and an aggressive pressing approach.
On the surface, that seems like a way to play that suits Mount’s strengths. However, when he is on the team, that characteristic seems to be shaken.
It was a 50-50 split between games he started and games where the English player came off the bench or did not feature. When he starts, United not only win more points, but also score more goals (2.25 goals per game vs. 1.50 goals per game) and are much more efficient when finishing off “big” chances (1.38 goals vs. 0.75 goals).
It shows an undeniable positive impact. However, a closer look reveals that with Mount in the team, United tend to move away from the fundamentals associated with Amorim.
Although the number of chances created when Mount starts is significantly higher, the number of ‘big chances’ is lower, suggesting that United are amassing a much lower xG effort in these matches, rather than creating clear goal chances more often.
Part of the lack of quality chances can also probably be attributed to the fact that there was a significant change to a more direct style of play with Mount starting versus not.
With him in the team, United have increased their average long passes. There was also a 10% decrease in pass attempts and a 17% decrease in completions in the final third.
Mason Mount has already equaled his best goals total in a season for Manchester United
Perhaps most surprising is that in games where Mount starts, United are also less likely to win the ball back in their attacking third. Given the narrative in the press that Mount’s energy is helping United, one would expect the opposite to be the case.
That’s not to say Mount was the only reason for his departure.
Mason Mount’s per-90 stats this season
Individually, he ranks sixth on the team in chances created, fourth in last-third pass attempts and completions, just ninth in long passes, and second in possession in the attacking third.
These indicators show that he is doing what is expected based on Amorim’s requirements. But with Mount in the team, United as a whole tend to move away from Amorim’s principles.
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After Manchester United drew 4-4 with Bournemouth in the Premier League, Gary Neville insisted Ruben Amorim put the right players on the pitch after losing 3-2.
Is that a criticism? If anything, it’s the opposite. Much has been made about Amorim’s reluctance to adapt the way he plays to be successful, but the data proves that he is flexible in his play.
But what is more interesting is that a player who was believed to be the epitome of what Amorim needed in his team insisted that success would come from moving away from the methodology he had worked so hard to implement at Old Trafford.
