Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount will get his first start for England this evening, as widely reported yesterday.
After the fine start he has had for Chelsea this season scoring 4 goals along the way and being one of their better performers, he has certainly earned his chance tonight.
He has become a regular starter in the Chelsea team already keeping out the likes of Ross Barkley, and he is set to do that again this evening at international level, proving the steps he’s made already this season.
Frank Lampard and Jody Morris know Mount’s game inside and out having coached him at Derby County last season, and Morris had him in his Chelsea under-18 team the season before.
Another man who also knows him better than most other people is England manager Gareth Southgate, who coached Mount at under-16 level for England.
Speaking ahead of England’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Czech Republic this evening, as reported by The Mirror, Southgate was asked what he thought of Mount after training this week.
He said:
“Exactly what I thought of him when I saw him at 16 playing for our U16s, he’s a quality player, an intelligent footballer, presses well, has a real eye for goal, good quality.
“So, nothing I’ve seen surprises me at all. We’ve had him marked as a player from the first time I saw him at St. George’s [Park].
“Chelsea would be the same on that, I think, but of course he’s now been able to have the opportunity to play in the Premier League and display that against top teams.
“I think you saw his penalty in the Super Cup, [that] was a nice cameo of what he’s about, really.”
