Mason Mount answered a difficult stretch at Manchester United by completing the full 90 minutes in a goalless draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last Saturday, making his first start in five months. The midfielder’s return came after Michael Owen said he was working hard but was not performing near the level United expected when they signed him.
Owen’s criticism was blunt. He said Mount looked slow in possession, laggy in transitions and short of influence in midfield, adding that United needed more intensity and personality from him in a game that ended 0-0. Tony Mount, his father, responded on Instagram with a message aimed at Owen: “Maybe not starting a game for five months has something to do with looking rusty. Owen, you fool,”.
The reaction lands at a time when Mount is still trying to turn around a Manchester United spell that has been repeatedly interrupted by injury. He joined from Chelsea for £60million in 2023 and has managed 70 appearances across almost three seasons, a return that has never matched the size of the fee or the expectations around it. Before last weekend, he had featured for only 26 minutes of action, a figure that helps explain why sharpness has been such a central part of the discussion around him.
His fitness has been stop-start. A knock in December kept him out for two fixtures, then another injury ruled him out of six matches between February and March. He rejoined the squad for the 3-1 win over Aston Villa in March, but the Sunderland match was the first time in five months that he was trusted to start, and he stayed on the pitch for the full 90 minutes.
That context matters because Owen’s comments were not just about one poor performance; they were about the gap between Mount’s current level and the player United thought they were signing. The former England striker said United lacked control and authority in midfield and pointed to the movement of Benjamin Sesko as part of the team’s structure higher up the pitch. He also argued that Sunderland looked more energetic and sharper in the middle of the park, a comparison that cut straight to United’s problems on the day.
Mount has not hidden from the challenge. In comments after the Villa return, he said: “I will always back myself. I know what I’m about and what I can bring” and described his time at United as a third season that has “flown.” He added that there are “going to be a lot more games next season,” and said helping the club get back to the top would be “super special.” He also said he could not imagine how special winning the Premier League would be after already having a taste of success there with the FA Cup.
For United, the issue now is not whether Mount can make a contribution; it is whether he can stay fit long enough to become a regular part of the side. After months of stops and starts, last weekend was a reminder that the player is still there, still trusted, and still under pressure to justify one of the club’s biggest recent investments.
