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Mount Resurgent: Midfielder Delivers Decisive Moment as Manchester United Break Selhurst Park Curse

For Mason Mount, the wait to complete a full Premier League match felt almost as long as his search for rhythm in a Manchester United shirt. The last time he reached the 90-minute mark came nearly two years ago, in January 2023, when he was still wearing Chelsea blue. Yet his struggles since moving to Old Trafford have never been about talent—only about timing, fitness and the persistent battle to regain continuity.

Rúben Amorim never wavered. Even during Mount’s lengthy spell on the sidelines earlier this year, the United manager spoke with conviction about the midfielder’s intelligence, vertical movement and capacity to influence the final third. When Amorim restored him to the starting XI for the trip to Selhurst Park, his faith looked bold on paper but proved prophetic on the pitch.

Mount delivered the match-winning moment in a ground where United had not celebrated victory since 2020, drilling in a free-kick routine meticulously worked out with Bruno Fernandes. It came just minutes after Joshua Zirkzee ended his own drought with his first league goal in a year, cancelling out Jean-Philippe Mateta’s early penalty.

“Mason’s quality has never been doubted internally,” Fernandes said afterward. “When he’s fit, he changes games. We’ve known that from day one.”

The numbers reinforce the point. Since joining United for £55m in June 2023, Mount’s opportunities have been repeatedly derailed by injuries—two long layoffs totalling more than six months and a hamstring issue wedged between them. Before this season he had completed more than 80 minutes in the league only once for United.

This campaign marks a shift. Mount has missed only one of the club’s 13 league fixtures and featured, in varying capacities, in all but three. His approach has been rooted in discipline: avoiding external distractions, declining media requests, and adopting a simple private mantra—let the football speak.

Operating as one of Amorim’s dual No. 10s, Mount’s interpretation of space, his clever rotations and his crisp ball-striking were evident. Palace’s fatigue, which manager Oliver Glasner has openly attributed to recruitment gaps over the summer, visibly played into United’s hands, especially after Ismaïla Sarr’s early exit.

Amorim sensed vulnerability even before the break. “You could feel they were struggling to get the ball out,” he said, explaining the half-time message that United only needed one goal to flip momentum. And they did exactly that, in large part by tactically recalibrating down the left flank.

Zirkzee, tightly marshalled early on by Maxence Lacroix, found greater joy drifting wide after interval. Nearly half of United’s second-half attacks funnelled down that channel, where Mount and Diogo Dalot alternated roles astutely. Mount’s movement dragged Daniel Muñoz into awkward areas; Dalot exploited the gaps; and Bryan Mbeumo’s central positioning gave United a much-needed reference point to win fouls and hold the ball.

The pattern was clear: Zirkzee earning the foul that led to the equaliser, then initiating the move that set up the decisive free-kick. United’s sharper tempo, combined with Palace’s drop in physical intensity, proved decisive.

For Mount, the night carried added personal significance. Not only did he complete 90 minutes for the first time in nearly two years, but he also reignited a narrative many believed had stalled—his quest to reclaim a place in England’s plans. His conversation with national-team coach Thomas Tuchel during the summer offered encouragement; his performance at Selhurst Park offered evidence.

“I feel good, I’m enjoying my football again,” Mount told TNT Sports. “Nights like this make everything worth it.”

In a season where United have often needed resilience more than brilliance, Mount delivered both.

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