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Manchester United boss Michael Carrick expressed his excitement after confirming that Mason Mount had returned to training and was available for selection ahead of Sunday's clash with Everton, describing the news as "great."
Mount had been touted as one of United's quiet success stories heading into the new campaign following an impressive run of pre-season fixtures. However, in a cruelly familiar turn of events, the ex-Chelsea midfielder picked up a knock against Paris Saint-Germain that kept him out for the past month — until now.
"Mason's been training now for good number of days, so he's back around it which is great," Carrick beamed to MUTV.
During Mount's absence, Carrick has rotated between his two summer additions, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, along with Kobbie Mainoo in his quest to find a settled midfield partnership alongside Bruno Fernandes. Mount's return now throws his name into the mix.
Does Mason Mount Fit Into Man Utd's First Team?
Mount may well find himself back in United's matchday squad, but breaking into the starting lineup presents an entirely different challenge. The injury-prone midfielder has managed just 25 Premier League starts across his four seasons at Old Trafford. Two of those appearances came under Carrick, who has spoken highly of Mount as "a top player" capable of making "a big impact."
Nevertheless, Carrick was even more lavish in his praise of the "immense" Mainoo following last weekend's victory over Ipswich Town. After an unusual summer spent watching England's World Cup run entirely from the bench, the technically gifted deep-lying midfielder appears set for a campaign as a regular starter.
That would leave just one position alongside Mainoo up for grabs in United's double pivot. Mount will not only need to battle Santos and Tielemans for playing time, but must also contend with United's priciest summer acquisition, Carlos Baleba.
Unlike the other options at Carrick's disposal, the former Brighton & Hove Albion enforcer brings genuine defensive quality to the role — if he can manage to get onto the pitch, that is.
Man Utd's Remaining Injury Concerns vs. Everton
Baleba is not expected to recover from an ankle injury — which he ironically suffered while representing Brighton against Manchester United — for another few weeks. The 22-year-old is in a race to be fit before the season's first international break, though he may not be ready to feature for his new club until after the extended hiatus.
Concerns surrounding Luke Shaw appear somewhat less serious. United's only senior left back was substituted against Ipswich with a tight hamstring, though Carrick was quick to downplay the issue.
Amad Diallo is expected to remain sidelined until October, while Matthijs de Ligt's fitness continues to be uncertain following nine months out with an unspecified back complaint. Manuel Ugarte faces a similarly lengthy recovery after tearing his ACL during this summer's World Cup.