Mason Mount scored Manchester United’s winner against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park last weekend as he starts to get some regular game time.

His signing was strange considering the price tag for a player who was free the following summer and the urgent need to strengthen in positions other than his own. But Erik ten Hag couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sign Mount, having been a fan of the former Chelsea player since he was loaned out to Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem.

Mount has spoken about one of his attributes that impresses his manager – his ability to read and understand the game. He discussed this in an interview with Inside United.

I always watched the games since I was a kid. I’ve been really into watching games and watching games. I like to look at positions, not just the ball. I like to watch how players move in their positions and what positions they take on the field. I’ve been doing that since I was a kid.

So yeah, I think I understand the game a lot and when you’re on the field it can be difficult sometimes because it’s 100 miles per hour. A lot is happening. Substitutions come into play or you have a formation that changes a bit, causing the team you are playing against to position itself differently than you are prepared for.

These are all things that happen in the game and you have to adapt to them a bit. But I always see myself as someone who really studies and understands the game, when the opposition changes, how we change and adapt as a team, and trying to get that communication across to the rest of the guys.