Chris
It might be worth keeping an eye on stand-banished Thomas Tuchel before the Champions League anthem belts out from the Allianz Arena speakers on Wednesday night.
For all their early-season troubles, Manchester United are back in the big time and have the perfect stage to right one or two wrongs. Erik ten Hag and his misfiring team have been defeated three times already this campaign, but their dismal stretch is not without its mitigating circumstances.
You could pick a fairly decent line-up from the players United currently do not have available. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has taken their mounting injury list to nine with his unfortunate setback, although Ten Hag stated after the defeat to Brighton that one player is “maybe” close to a return.
Ex-Chelsea manager Tuchel – being made to watch this Group A opener from the stands – would rather not see Mason Mount fit enough to feature. So highly does the German rate Mount there were reportedly attempts to take him from Stamford Bridge to Bavaria this summer.
As it turned out, United secured his £60million signature and Mount attributed that transfer decision to the grand plans Ten Hag laid out for him and his potential role at the club. It must have been fairly convincing to stop Mount from sounding out Tuchel for a Chelsea-themed reunion in Germany.
“It’s always a pleasure to work with Mason because he’s the kind of guy who comes [into training] with a smile on his face in every single session,” said Tuchel during their time working together at Chelsea. “It’s always 100 per cent in matches, he accepts every challenge, that’s why it’s so nice to work with him.
Two matches into his United career and Mount already has a challenge to overcome. The 24-year-old was unfairly, made a scapegoat in some circles for underwhelming performances against Wolves and Tottenham in victory and defeat. At least their three follow-up games have proven that he’s not the solitary concern.
