Michael Carrick has moved to ease fears over Mason Mount after the Manchester United midfielder was forced off less than 20 minutes into Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain.
Mount started alongside Andrey Santos in Gothenburg but his afternoon ended almost immediately after he suffered what initially appeared to be a worrying foot problem.
ReadManUtd reported the initial Mason Mount injury scare on Sunday morning, with the midfielder receiving treatment before Tyler Fletcher replaced him.
There is now a much more encouraging update.
Speaking after the game, Carrick suggested Mount had simply taken a kick and United decided not to take any unnecessary risks.
Michael Carrick plays down Mason Mount injury
Carrick’s assessment should provide some relief given Mount’s difficult injury history at Old Trafford.
Sky Sports reported that the 27-year-old was later seen walking freely after leaving the pitch, while Carrick indicated the problem appeared less serious than first feared. Sky Sports’ report from Gothenburg said Mount’s issue appeared to be a knock to his left foot rather than a muscular injury.
That distinction is significant.
Mount has spent large parts of his United career dealing with fitness problems, so seeing him leave another pre-season game early naturally caused concern.
This time, however, the early evidence points towards United simply being cautious.
Carrick has little reason to take risks at this stage of the summer.
United still have friendlies against Leeds United and AC Milan before the Premier League campaign begins, giving Mount time to recover without being pushed back too quickly.
His availability also matters because Carrick has used him regularly during pre-season.
ReadManUtd highlighted earlier this summer how Mount has been tested in a deeper midfield role, providing another option while United reshape the centre of the pitch.
Saturday initially looked like another frustrating setback.
Carrick’s post-match update has made the situation appear far less serious.
United will still assess Mount before deciding whether he can feature against Leeds on Wednesday, but the immediate signs are considerably more positive than they looked after 20 minutes in Gothenburg.
