PERHAPS they are starting to lift the curse of the number seven at Manchester United.
Since Cristiano Ronaldo’s then-world record sale to Real Madrid in 2009, the only United player who has lived up to the number has been, well, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo’s second coming in 2021 was a personal success (24 goals in a season he turned 37) but in a toxic campaign that United finished sixth in.
Between Ronaldo’s two stints, Michael Owen, Antonio Valencia, Angel di Maria, Memphis Depay, Alexis Sanchez and Edinson Cavani were unworthy of United’s most fabled squad number.
Owen was a perma-crock, Valencia requested his old number 25 after one sorry spell as the ‘7’, Angel di Maria cried off after one year, Depay lasted 18 months and Sanchez was a busted flush.
Cavani tallied a respectable 17 goals in his sole season as the ‘7’ but he had a tendency to make himself unavailable for games.
Until this season, Mason Mount was also hexed as he tried to fill the shirt made so famous by George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham.
Bought in 2023 to play in central midfield when all the evidence suggested he was a playmaker, that experiment lasted two games.
Mount was crowbarred into the team left, right and centre by Erik ten Hag – when he was fit. He missed 31 games in his first season and 30 last season.
United’s victory at Crystal Palace was Mount’s first 90 minutes in the league for the club and his first since November 2023 in a 3-0 Carabao Cup loss to Newcastle. It was also his first start in six weeks.
Yet Mount has been sidelined for only one game this term. United are treating him with kid gloves and, when used, he is becoming a growing influence.
Mount set the tone for United’s dominant first half at Fulham in August and he was even better the following week against Burnley until he was forced off at half-time.
He was the matchwinner and man of the match against Sunderland, had goalscoring opportunities at Anfield, created opportunities for Benjamin Sesko at Tottenham and smacked in the winner at Palace on Sunday.
Ruben Amorim admitted before he had taken charge of United for the first time that he “loved” Mount. We are starting to see why.
Mount has started in only six of United’s 13 Premier League games but racked up eight ‘key passes’ (passes that lead to a shot at goal). His work off the ball is as valuable as his work on it.
Amorim is so trusting of Mount that he promoted him to the Europa League final starting XI at the expense of Alejandro Garnacho, a move that effectively killed the winger’s United career.
That was a dubious call and one that backfired in the limp loss to Tottenham Hotspur. Yet squad harmony has been prioritised by Amorim and Garnacho was a surly presence.
Mount, in contrast, is pleasant to deal with. He did little media at United in his first two years, sensitive about the fallout from his decision to leave Chelsea.
Since Mount has started to open up off the pitch, he has started to look freer on it. He flanked Amorim at a post-season tour press conference and was one of the first player interviewees on the pre-season tour in Chicago.
Amorim’s tendency to pick strikerless teams this season is down to Mount’s impact in United’s final pre-season tour fixture in Atlanta against Everton, when he scored.
United have won four, drawn one and lost one with Mount as a starter. The loss – at home to Arsenal – is their best performance of the season, according to Amorim.
In the dying embers at Palace, Mount offered applause for Patrick Dorgu after he won a time-killing foul. Less than 48 hours earlier, Dorgu was panned by Amorim and Mount, one of the most experienced members in the United squad, provided timely support.
Mount was also on hand to console Leny Yoro at full-time. Yoro looked crestfallen after an error-prone performance and was put out of his misery before the hour mark.
In front of the away end, Yoro had his hood pulled up, resembling a criminal leaving court. Mount made a beeline for the 20-year-old and encouraged him.
United are unlikely to ever live down signing Mount for £60million in the same summer that Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo were on the move.
United’s overdue overhaul in midfield will take place next year but Mount is settled as one of the front three.
The upcoming week is a test of Mount’s durability. After starting and ending a match for the first time in nearly three years, United have the rarity of a Thursday-Monday schedule.
Matheus Cunha is due to be available for the visit of West Ham on Thursday and he will be chomping at the bit to start back at Wolves next Monday.
Cunha has downplayed comparisons with Eric Cantona, probably United’s most revered number seven whose name was aired repeatedly at Palace.
Mount does not have his own chant yet but will do soon if he maintains his form.
