Manchester United’s season ended in huge disappointment with defeat in a Europa League final that was meant to paper over the cracks of an awful domestic campaign.
Despite the painful finish, United’s final weeks of the season did produce some magic moments, including some wonderful individual goals that kept spirits high at Old Trafford.
Mason Mount struck two fine efforts in United’s impressive Europa League semi final win against Athletic Club, both of which were nominated for the club’s Goal of the Month award.
Mount’s second of the evening rounded off a fine second half performance from Ruben Amorim’s men and comfortably scooped the majority of the fans’ votes to win the prize, as confirmed by the club.
The 26-year-old controlled a wayward clearance from visiting ‘keeper Julen Agirrezabala around 40 yards from goal before unleashing a stunning drive that lofted over a helpless defender and Agirrezabala to seal a 4-1 win on the night.
Making the strike even more impressive was that fact it came from Mount’s weaker foot, something he admitted he didn’t plan for when describing the goal, after the game.
“When I saw him (the goalkeeper) come out, I had it in my head if it comes to me, ‘first touch and shoot’. I didn’t want it to come on my left foot and then I was just trying to get it on target,” he said to TNT Sports.
Unfortunately for United, the dismantling of the Spaniard’s didn’t lead to them winning the competition but the second leg under the lights at the Theatre of Dreams provided undoubtably Mount’s best moments in a red shirt.
Underlining that, Mount’s fist goal of the night came second in the voting for the gong, with Alejandro Garnacho’s stunning consolation against Brentford in the Premier League rounding off the top three.
United’s number seven will be desperate to show his quality on a more consistent basis next term after another injury-ravaged campaign halted his progress in Manchester.
Mount’s form toward the end of the season earned him a place in Amorim’s Europa League starting line up with the United head coach a self-confessed admirer of the former Chelsea man.
The midfielder will be hoping for a positive pre-season under the Portuguese head coach in order kick off the new term fully fit and ready to help United undo some of the wrongs of last twelve months.
Featured image Michael Steele via Getty Images
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Conner Botterill
Conner Botterill has been with The Peoples Person for two years. A keen match-going red with degrees in Sport and Journalism and Philosophy and Psychology, Conner still believes he has a chance of making United’s first team through his 5-a-side career.
