Mason Mount is exceptional but I’ve been saying this since autumn, proclaims Gareth Southgate

Both Frank Lampard and Gareth Southgate have been big admirers of Mason Mount with them consistently picking the young midfielder in their teams. However, that has seen both managers come under immense criticism over the years but things have changed under Thomas Tuchel’s reign at Chelsea. It has seen the 22-year-old receive plaudits from fans and critics alike with many now seeing what the two English managers see in Mount.

The young midfielder has thrived under the German boss at Stamford Bridge and has become a key cog for Tuchel in the weeks since his arrival. It has seen Gareth Southgate reveal that he has always believed Mount is an exceptional player and added that people now believe it because Tuchel picks the 22-year-old consistently. The England head coach further added that the Chelsea midfielder is an all-round star and a key part of his side.

“Mount is a great player, but I was saying this in the autumn. I suppose now that Thomas Tuchel picks him, everybody will agree. When it was Frank, it doesn't count for some reason. He is an exceptional player. He finds space intelligently, he manipulates the ball very well, he creates chances and he can score goals. I thought his performance was excellent tonight,” Southgate said, reported Goal.

This comes in light of England’s 2-0 win over Albania with Mount and Harry Kane scoring to ensure an England victory in their World Cup qualifier. However, while the duo scored, they weren’t the only standout performers with the likes of Declan Rice, Phil Foden and a few others thriving. It saw Southgate admit the same and he added that he believes the Three Lions could have scored more.

“I thought Phil Foden was also good. I thought our attacking four were good. Rice and Phillips read the game well, competed well and won the ball back quickly. We had over 70% possession and controlled the game. In the end, we created more chances and we could have scored more,” he added.