Stop the Joshua Zirkzee experiment & get Mason Mount in that starting XI! Much-maligned & injury-wrecked Man Utd star might just be Ruben Amorim's saviour

United had struggled to create any bright moments in a first half in Plzen that was as grim as the cold and dark conditions it was played in. The team had dominated possession but were doing nothing with it and Joshua Zirkzee was particularly wasteful, giving the ball away an astounding 16 times in the first half to the chagrin of Amorim, who did not hide his frustration.

Marcus Rashford, meanwhile, looked disinterested. Amorim wasted little time in turning to his bench, swapping Rashford for Hojlund and removing the hapless Zirkzee for Mount. The former Chelsea player had struggled to make an impact when replacing Bruno Fernandes in the recent defeat to Nottingham Forest, but he sparked the resurgence with dynamic and intelligent movement.

In less than half an hour on the pitch he struck up a productive partnership with Hojlund, who chimed much better with a player who wanted to run ahead of him rather than just play passes to his feet. The Danish striker fashioned a good chance for Mount on the overlap in the area but Martin Jedlicka saved his effort from a tricky angle. Mount had been thwarted moments before by Jedlicka in an even better opportunity after being teed up by Amad Diallo.

A goal would have done wonders for his confidence but the positive thing was that Mount was getting in these positions and making United much more dynamic and unpredictable going forward as a result. And it pointed to a future in which Hojlund and Mount can start together, beginning in Sunday's derby at Manchester City.

Amorim is not the first manager to fall head over heels for Mount. The midfielder got a reputation for being a 'teacher's pet' to Frank Lamapard after being a key player for the Chelsea legend at Derby County and then back at Stamford Bridge. "What I'll say about Mason is, you talk about modern players and how the game has changed, he's a throwback to the attitude, the commitment and the quality,” Lampard told the Diary of a CEO podcast. “The beauty of working with Mason was he gave you so much in terms of his effort every day. Anything you'd ask him to do, he got it. I think any great player has to have that intelligence and desire about them.”

Lampard's successor Thomas Tuchel also took to Mount. Despite dropping him for his first game in charge, Mount became a crucial cog in Tuchel's winning machine, being pivotal to the Champions League triumph in 2021 and contributing to 25 goals in the 2021-22 season.

"It is always a pleasure to work with Mason because he is the kind of guy who comes with a smile on his face to every single training session," the German said in 2022. "It is always 100 per cent in matches, he accepts every challenge and that is why it is so nice to work with him."

It is that attitude which made Erik ten Hag sit up and take notice when he was informed United had the chance to sign Mount for £60 million ($76m) in the summer of 2023. The Dutchman had seen a teenage Mount in action for Vitesse against his Ajax side and had been stunned by his work rate back then. He hailed him as the "complete midfielder" and "multi-functional" in pre-season and talked in-depth about the various positions in which his new signing could play. However, he barely got to use him.

Mount played just 663 minutes in total in his first season, making just five Premier League starts. He had four separate absences, beginning with a hamstring injury in just his second competitive match away to Tottenham, forcing him out for six weeks. In November he then tore his calf, ruling him out for more than four months. He scored his first and to date only goal for United after coming off the bench against Brentford in late March. However, he suffered yet another fitness issue in April and after making his first Premier League start in seven months at Crystal Palace, he picked up a further knock, returning in the 93rd minute of the FA Cup final in May.

"It is really unfortunate, really disappointing for him, but also for us when you have such a class player in your middle and you cannot play him," Ten Hag said in March. "He has had three injuries, as we all know, so he didn’t, at any time, get into a rhythm. But I am sure when he is fit, he will play, he will get into that rhythm and he will contribute to a successful Manchester United."

United are crossing their fingers that he will finally get into that rhythm under Amorim. Ten Hag expressed his bemusement at the player’s persistent problems given his excellent fitness record earlier in his career, but he and United had ignored the fact that Mount’s final campaign with Chelsea was blighted by injuries. He had to have surgery on an abdominal issue in April and it has since been revealed that he played despite the injury to help the team as they went from one crisis to another under Graham Potter and then Lampard when he returned.

Mount is also believed to have been affected mentally by his departure from Chelsea, who prioritised new arrivals when Todd Boehly took over the club in the summer of 2022 instead of tying up Mount’s future. When he left Chelsea, he had recently resolved a long-running legal case relating to being stalked by a TikTok influencer.

It has been a harrowing two years for Mount and he said he began the new season feeling "re-energised, sharp and ready" only to injure his hamstring in the second game of the season at Brighton. Mount pledged to "do everything possible to be back in the best shape and help the team", but on his return to action against Tottenham he banged into Radu Dragusin, leaving the pitch with blood pouring from his head. He did not return to a matchday squad until Amorim’s first game against Ipswich almost two months later.

The coach has used Mount in all six of his games in charge but has been careful not to overload him with minutes given his recent injury struggles. He has been highly impressed with his attitude and can sense his desire to recover everything he has lost, including his place in the England squad. His last game for the Three Lions was the 2022 World Cup quarter-final defeat by France.

"You can look in his eyes that he wants this so bad. And this is the most important thing for me," Amorim said. "I know he was suffering from injuries, he was not on the pitch, but now he’s trying to stay fit and we hope he can continue to be fit, to show all the talent that he’s shown, for example, in Chelsea. He played in this system [before], so it’s perfect for him. I have two positions for Mason Mount, so he should be very happy."

Indeed, Mount’s best football was played in Tuchel’s 3-4-3 system, operating as a narrow winger on the left and on the right. Having a clear role is exactly what he needs after having to play different positions under Ten Hag on the rare occasions he was available. And if he can stay fit, then he can be hopeful of a return to the England squad too now that Tuchel is Three Lions boss.

Mount’s horrendous luck could be about to turn. And if he can build on his latest performance and inspire United to victory in the Manchester derby, then the whole fanbase will be joining Amorim and all his previous coaches in falling in love with him.