Mason Mount admits he did not expect to make immediate Chelsea first-team impact
Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount has admitted he did not expect to be a big part of the Blues side so early this season.
The 20-year-old came through the club’s academy and has spent the past two seasons on loan at Vitesse Arnhem and Derby County respectively, impressing at both clubs.
Mason Mount’s Chelsea breakthrough: Five things to know…
- Mount spent last season on loan at Derby County, playing under Frank Lampard.
- The 20-year-old returned to Chelsea over the summer and was placed in the first-team squad.
- Mount has started seven of Chelsea’s eight games in all competitions so far this season.
- The Englishman has scored three goals in the Premier League so far.
- But Mount admits he didn’t expect his first-team career at Chelsea to get off to such a good start.
With Chelsea being handed a two-window transfer ban, making them unable to bring in any new players for new manager Lampard, the club have had to call on academy players such as Mount, Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori.
Given Chelsea’s lack of options up front, Abraham was the only young star expected to be handed an almost immediate spot in Lampard’s starting XI, with Mount and Tomori being expected to fight for their spaces.
But Mount has started seven of Chelsea’s eight games across all competitions so far this season, missing just one minute in the Premier League – something that has surprised the midfielder.
“For me I thought I would try and work hard, learn off the boys and work my way into the team,” Mount told reporters.
“Obviously, for me, going into pre-season, that was my main focus. To show the manager that I was ready, even though I didn’t think I would be starting the games.
“But showing him that I was ready to come on and prove to him that I can start games, but obviously starting games at the beginning is a massive confidence builder and I have been loving it and just learning from each game, every day in training.
“[It is] nights, games like this where you learn the most that what you play football for. So [I’m] loving every minute.”
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Mount: Chelsea need to make Stamford Bridge a fortress
Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat by Liverpool at Stamford Bridge was their fourth home match of the season, with the Blues still awaiting their first win.
Both Liverpool and Valencia have left west London with wins, while Leicester City and Sheffield United came from behind to earn draws.
And Mount admits Chelsea need to sort out their home form if they are to challenge for the top four this season.
“Look at the table, how many good teams there are – it’s very open and obviously we are looking to secure that top position so we just need to keep working hard,” he said.
“Of course [we need to win at home], but if you look at the games we have had we can take positives from every game we have had. We need to win games at home, that’s a big focus.
“We are doing well away and now the focus is building that fortress at home and when teams come here they know it will be a tough game.
“We are going through a spell when we are getting little bits here and there wrong and we are getting punished for it. So I think we have always got to stay positive.”
