England manager Gareth Southgate has lauded \u201cexceptional\u201d Mason Mount\u2019s impressive performance for both club and country that has proven former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard right.<\/p>\n
The former Chelsea boss had evidently showed great faith in the midfielder, even at the risk of critics accusing Lampard of practising favouritism, after having taking him on loan to Derby County, where he flourished, and then making him a key member of the first XI at Stamford Bridge. The critics had continually questioned the academy graduates\u2019s quality.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old has since become a key member of the team now evem under new Blues boss Thomas Tuchel, besides also donning England national colours.<\/p>\n
Mount justified both Southgate and Lampard\u2019s faith in him by scoring a superb goal to clinch England\u2019s 2-0 victory in the second of the week\u2019s World Cup qualification games, against Albania, having prior to that starred magnificently in the 5-0 thumping of San Marino on Thursday.<\/p>\n
His appearance against Albania was his 48th in total already this season, bringing him his ninth goal.<\/p>\n
Southgate even suggested Mount was becoming undroppable and said he had looked after the versatile midfielder by only playing him for 45 minutes against San Marino.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs for his load coming into the camp, he didn\u2019t play in the midweek in the Champions League [against Atletico Madrid],\u201d Southgate added.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut regardless of that, we are trying to win and qualify for a World Cup and I can\u2019t be constantly thinking about rotating the squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cMason is a very good player. I was saying this in the autumn.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I suppose now Thomas Tuchel is picking him everyone will agree. When it was Frank Lampard, it didn\u2019t count for some reason.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is exceptional; he finds space intelligently, he manipulates the ball very well, he creates chances and he scores goals. I thought his performance was excellent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mount looks set to be a certain starter when England take on Poland at Wembley on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
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