Ten Hag reaffirms belief in Mount

The England international moved from Chelsea in the summer and is set to face his former club in Thursday night's Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge.

After an injury-ravaged debut campaign at Old Trafford, our no.7 made his return in the thrilling Emirates FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool and came off the bench at Brentford to make what looked to be a telling contribution.

In stoppage time, he slammed home Casemiro's pass to break the deadlock and claim his first goal for the club, only for the Bees to produce a sting in the tail when Kristoffer Ajer claimed an even later equaliser.

If his first United strike had been a winner, it would have meant the world to a player who spent so long on the sidelines, unable to impact his new team as he would have wished.

"I was so happy for him," Ten Hag told MUTV's Mark Sullivan. "But so sorry for him also that it wasn't the winner.

"He deserved that moment of glory, maybe it was such a small moment but, for a player who came in and suffered so many injuries and worked so hard all the time, and had so many setbacks, it was so frustrating.

"And then you think you've scored a winner so we were disappointed when we conceded that goal that makes it 1-1. It makes a totally different mood, as you can imagine."

Mount could face a frosty reception from the Stamford Bridge fans who used to adore him but Ten Hag has no doubts the summer buy will prove his worth and, in the long term, show the Blues what they are missing.

"I don't think they wanted to sell him," Erik commented in the embargoed part of his press conference to preview the 20:15 BST kick-off. "They wanted to keep him and they even offered him a new contract many times.

"But he wanted to make the step and we were, and we are, very pleased he is a Man United player because he has great abilities.

"I am sure he will contribute and he will become a big player for Man United."