Mount Injury Concerns Downplayed by Carrick After Precautionary PSG Withdrawal
Manchester, UK – Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has sought to allay fears surrounding midfielder Mason Mount, following his early withdrawal during the club’s 1-1 pre-season stalemate against French giants Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.
The incident occurred less than 20 minutes into the high-profile encounter, with Mount appearing to sustain a knock before being substituted for young talent Tyler Fletcher. This latest setback immediately sparked concern among fans and pundits, given the England international’s challenging tenure at Old Trafford thus far.
Since his high-profile move from Chelsea in 2023, the 27-year-old has been plagued by a series of fitness issues, severely limiting his involvement and preventing him from establishing a consistent run of form in the United midfield.
However, Carrick moved swiftly to calm any brewing anxieties, indicating that the decision to remove Mount from the field was primarily a precautionary measure rather than a response to a significant injury.
“He got kicked. We just wanted to be careful and look after him. We’ve been lucky with injuries so far, so we wanted to be careful,” Carrick told MUTV in his post-match assessment.
Further encouraging signs emerged as Mount was observed walking freely and without any apparent discomfort as he made his way towards the United team coach after the match. This visual confirmation provides additional reassurance that the issue may indeed be minor and not a precursor to another lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Mount’s injury record since arriving at Old Trafford paints a stark picture of his struggles. He has managed to make only 25 Premier League starts out of a possible 114, underscoring the profound impact that recurring fitness problems have had on his ability to contribute consistently to the team’s efforts.
Despite the injury scare, Carrick expressed satisfaction with Manchester United’s overall performance against PSG, even though the reigning European champions took the lead through Ibrahim Mbaye.
Bryan Mbeumo eventually restored parity for United, who, according to Carrick, created ample opportunities to secure all three points against their formidable opponents.
“I enjoyed it. Good challenge. Slightly different with the way they play. We should’ve scored more goals. It’s good for the boys sometimes to have to problem solve and find their own way, and I thought we did that. That prepares them for the season as well,” Carrick commented on the team’s display.
Manchester United now have two remaining pre-season fixtures to fine-tune their preparations before kicking off their Premier League campaign. Their season opener will see them face newly-promoted Hull City on August 22, a match where they will undoubtedly hope to have a fully fit and firing Mason Mount.
