Gareth Southgate explains Mason Mount omission amid Manchester United start

Gareth Southgate has revealed he axed Mason Mount from the England squad as the Manchester United midfielder is still returning to peak fitness.

Old Trafford chiefs stumped up £55million to sign the 24-year-old, a move that raised eyebrows given he had just one year left on his contract. It was telling, however, that Chelsea fans appeared unhappy that Mount was being sold.

The midfielder hasn't yet set the world alight since making the big-money switch. While it remains early days, Mount - still recovering from several niggles - is yet to complete an entire 90 minutes in United colours.

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The former Blues man was substituted after an hour as a lacklustre United side struggled against Brentford at the weekend. To Mount’s misfortune, the team looked more energetic and on the front foot after his departure.

There was a time when Southgate received perennial criticism for regularly picking Mount for England. As recent as the last World Cup, when the Three Lions boss started him in the opening two group games.

“I read a lot of things about Mason and I think he’s a very under-appreciated player - but not by us,” Southgate told reporters when defending Mount’s selection in 2020. “He’s a top player. He can receive (the ball) under pressure.

“He’s intelligent with his movement. He’s, of course, still learning. In a tactical game where it’s just as important defensively what the forwards do, to have a player like him who can do both sides (is important).”

However, Mount has fallen out of favour with Southgate since the World Cup in Qatar. The midfielder’s last appearance on the international stage