Mason Mount has issued a rallying cry to his Manchester United teammates, challenging them to use Sunday's dramatic 2-1 comeback victory at Crystal Palace as a springboard for a top-four finish.
A Vital Comeback and a Personal Milestone
The match at Selhurst Park saw United recover from a dismal first-half performance, where they fell behind to a Jean-Philippe Mateta penalty in the 36th minute. However, a transformed display after the break yielded goals from Joshua Zirkzee in the 54th minute and Mason Mount just nine minutes later to secure a crucial three points.
For Mount, the victory was doubly significant. Not only did he score the winning goal with a smart, curled finish from a Bruno Fernandes free-kick, but he also completed his first 90 minutes in the Premier League since the start of 2023. This marked a major personal milestone after two injury-disrupted seasons following his move to Old Trafford.
Mount's Message: "It's Time to Kick On"
Speaking after the final whistle, the England international emphasised the need for consistency. "I've felt good all season," Mount stated. "We're in a lot better place, me personally and us as a group. We really need to kick on now and win more games."
He directly addressed the team's objective, saying, "It's time to really kick on now and shoot for that top-four position." This result made it four wins in seven matches under manager Ruben Amorim, lifting seventh-placed United to within four points of rivals Manchester City.
Amorim's Calm Guidance Proves Decisive
The turnaround was credited to a composed half-time team talk from boss Ruben Amorim. According to Mount, the instruction was simply to "stay calm", with a belief that Palace would tire after their midweek Europa Conference League exertions against Strasbourg.
The strategy worked perfectly. United improved markedly after the interval, showing the character Mount highlighted was missing in their previous home loss to Everton. The win provides vital momentum ahead of a busy December schedule, starting with Thursday's visit of West Ham United to Old Trafford.
