Gothenburg: Mount’s injury concerns overshadow Manchester United’s draw with PSG

By Rohan Gupta — 9 August 2026 — 4 min read

Manchester United played to a 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in a friendly match held in Gothenburg. The result, however, was largely overshadowed by an injury sustained by midfielder Mason Mount, who was forced to leave the field early in the game. This incident has raised concerns regarding his fitness ahead of the upcoming season.

Mount, who joined United from Chelsea in 2023, has faced injury challenges since his arrival at Old Trafford. In the match against PSG, he lasted less than 20 minutes before being substituted. Reports indicate that the England international, aged 27, appeared to suffer a foot injury in Sweden. Following discussions with coaches on the touchline, Tyler Fletcher replaced him on the field.

Since joining United, Mount has been limited to 54 league appearances, with many of those coming as a substitute. His time at the club has been marked by a series of fitness issues, preventing him from securing a consistent role in the team. He has made only 25 Premier League starts out of a possible 114 since his move to Old Trafford, highlighting the extent of the disruptions caused by injuries.

Carrick’s cautious approach to Mount’s injury

Michael Carrick, Manchester United‘s head coach, addressed the concerns surrounding Mason Mount‘s early exit from the match. Carrick downplayed the severity of the injury, explaining that the decision to withdraw Mount was primarily a precautionary measure. “He got kicked,” Carrick told reporters. “We just wanted to be careful and look after him. We’ve been lucky with injuries so far, so we wanted to be careful.”

Further encouraging signs emerged as Mount was observed walking without any apparent difficulty while heading towards the United team coach. This suggests that the issue might not be serious, offering some relief to the club and its supporters. Carrick reiterated his cautious approach in a statement to MUTV, the club’s in-house television station, emphasizing the team’s desire to avoid further injuries.

Match highlights and other injury concerns

At the time of Mount’s injury, Manchester United was trailing 1-0 to PSG. The French side had taken the lead in the second minute through an Ibrahim Mbaye goal. Despite PSG missing several of their star players, they managed to open the scoring early in the game. Bryan Mbeumo, however, equalized for United in the 32nd minute. His goal came after Amad Diallo won the ball back and played him in, restoring parity for United.

The match also saw another injury concern for United early in the second half. Their 40-year-old goalkeeper, Tom Heaton, suffered a right hamstring problem. This occurred while he was rushing out to make a clearance, adding to the team’s injury worries during the friendly fixture. Despite these setbacks, Carrick expressed satisfaction with United‘s overall performance against the reigning European champions.

Mbeumo had an opportunity to score a second goal, but PSG‘s goalkeeper, Matvey Safonov, made a fine save. Safonov later left the pitch to jeers after an incident where he clattered into Joshua Zirkzee well outside his area. This particular event might have resulted in a punishment in a competitive match, but he escaped sanction in the friendly.

Carrick’s reflections and upcoming fixtures

Michael Carrick shared his thoughts on the match, stating, “I enjoyed it. Good challenge. Slightly different with the way they play. We should’ve scored more goals.” He highlighted the importance of problem-solving for his players, noting, “It’s good for the boys sometimes to have to problem-solve and find their own way, and I thought we did that. That prepares them for the season as well.” Carrick also mentioned that there were many positive signs that might not always be apparent to observers.

The game also saw late chances for Tyler Fletcher, Shea Lacey, and captain Bruno Fernandes. Fernandes linked up effectively with new arrival Youri Tielemans, which Carrick viewed as an encouraging development for the team. This partnership could be a key aspect of United‘s play in the upcoming season.

Manchester United has two more friendly fixtures scheduled before the start of their Premier League campaign. They are set to face bitter rivals Leeds in Dublin on Wednesday, followed by a match against AC Milan in Wroclaw three days later. Their Premier League season will commence with an away game against newly promoted Hull City on 22 August.

Source: theguardian.com