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A win against Luton Town on Saturday means Manchester United have now picked up more points than any other side in the Premier League over the past five games, although performances on the pitch still leave a lot to be desired.
The Red Devils are struggling for consistency at the moment and a growing injury list certainly hasn’t aided manager Erik ten Hag as he attempts to find the right balance within his side, particularly in the middle of the park.
However, injuries keep piling up at Old Trafford and Christian Eriksen is the latest to be added to the list, having limped off against Luton early in the first half.
Nevertheless, Eriksen’s potential absence has a silver lining as Ten Hag may finally have to turn to one star whose game-time has been limited this term.
Mason Mount’s stats this season
Mason Mount made a surprise move to Man United during the summer, leaving Stamford Bridge for the Theatre of Dreams and being handed the infamous number ‘7’ shirt, previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo.
United were said to have paid a fee in the region of £55m, although this could rise to £60m with add-ons. The England international signed a five-year deal, with the option to extend his stay by a further year, worth a whopping £250k-per-week.
Mount was vital for Chelsea over the past four years when he played in London, with former Blues winger Joe Cole even labelling him as a “top, top, outstanding” player. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old has yet to really make an impact in a red shirt despite sporting the club’s most iconic number on his back.
The midfielder has played just 577 minutes in all competitions for Manchester United this term, including merely 351 minutes in the top flight according to Transfermarkt. Content creator and United fan Casey Evans even claimed that Mount could be the “new Donny van de Beek”. Damning words indeed.
First season at Manchester United – Premier League stats |
||
---|---|---|
Games |
19 |
8 |
Starts |
4 |
4 |
Goals |
1 |
0 |
Assists |
1 |
0 |
Key passes per game |
0.2 |
0.6 |
Big chances created |
1 |
0 |
Average pass accuracy rate |
86% |
85% |
Tackles and interceptions per game |
1.1 |
2.1 |
Average match rating |
6.67 |
6.80 |
Stats via Sofascore |
This season alone, the Englishman’s only goal contribution for the Red Devils across 11 appearances was an assist in a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup back in September. Furthermore, his last start for the club came in a 2-1 win over Brentford prior to the international break.
Nevertheless, with Eriksen now injured, Mount could potentially be the man to fill the Dane’s shoes on the Old Trafford turf.
Mount vs Eriksen stats comparison
Statistically, Mount and Eriksen are not too dissimilar this season. The latter has been more of a goal threat, perhaps surprisingly, and is averaging 0.15 goals per 90 and 0.15 assists per 90 while Mount is averaging 0.16 assists per 90, although he has yet to register a goal for United. Eriksen’s xG per 90 (expected goals) of 0.06 and expected assists per 90 of 0.16 are much higher than Mount’s 0.05 xG per 90 and 0.04 expected assists per 90, according to FBref.
The Denmark international is boasting 2.09 progressive carries per 90 this season and 4.78 progressive passes per 90 while his counterpart is averaging 1.36 progressive carries per 90 and 3.41 progressive passes per 90.
However, Mount does look for the ball in more advanced positions, averaging 5.91 progressive passes received per 90 this term to Eriksen’s lowly 2.24. Mount also makes 1.19 passes to the penalty area per 90 to Eriksen’s 1.14.
Where Mount has an edge over the former Tottenham Hotspur man is in the defensive phases, bringing a lot of energy to the team in comparison to his midfield competitor who can be quite sluggish at times.
Mount is attempting 3.64 tackles per 90 this season for Manchester United, while Eriksen has averaged just 1.49 per 90 in the middle of the park. In addition, Mount is averaging 2.73 tackles in the middle and final third per 90. Eriksen is managing just 1.2 per 90 in the same areas.
Mount can’t replicate Eriksen’s calmness on the ball but can offer a lot of quality and fresher legs in United’s midfield should Ten Hag bring him back into the frame in the latter’s absence.
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