Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag rain praise on his two latest signings
Mason Mount made a triumphant return from injury for Man United and Sofyan Amrabat impressed on his full debut.
Erik ten Hag expects Mason Mount to perform “much better” for Manchester United when he is completely integrated into the team.
Mount made his return from a muscular injury that had left him sidelined since August 20 in the 3-0 League Cup win over Crystal Palace and he produced a virtuoso first-half performance, tallying his first assist for Casemiro’s headed goal.
Ten Hag substituted the £60million Mount at half-time in a pre-planned move ahead of Saturday’s rematch with Palace in the Premier League.
Mount’s fellow midfielder Sofyan Amrabat made his debut as an auxiliary left-back in the first half before moving into midfield for the restart until he was withdrawn on the hour.
He played very well,” Ten Hag said of Mount. “I’m sure when he’s totally integrated he will play much better. He’s just starting at United.
“Sofyan is a player – and that is one of the reasons we signed him – where the team needs him, he will play and he can play in more positions.
“Every player has his best position but he gives a certain dynamic in the game. We have seen today but also for him and many players, we just started.
“That process was a little bit interrupted by the many injuries we have because when you can play a long time with the same team then you get routines, the players learn each other and it’s more automatic. You see Mason, Amrabat, you see also others, they can contribute to our game and they will do.”
United recorded back-to-back wins for the first time this season and successive clean sheets after sieving 14 goals in their first six games.
Ten Hag decided to retain Andre Onana despite the availability of Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton and the Cameroon international pulled off two alert stops late on against Palace.
“Of course, always when it’s a clean sheet it will give the keeper confidence and especially when you contribute with a great save like [at Burnley] on Saturday,” Ten Hag explained. “That header was a very important save there and he had two fantastic saves there. That will help and build his confidence.
“But he has personality, he deals with situations, with pressure, he can do that and he’s starting to do that now.”
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