Michael Carrick moved quickly to calm the noise around Mason Mount after his early exit against Paris Saint Germain. Carrick said he was kicked, and that United wanted to be careful with him. Mount was replaced by Tyler Fletcher in the 20th minute, then later seen walking freely without a protective boot or knee support as he boarded the team bus.
Carrick's explanation
The manager's wording was plain enough. “He got kicked. We just wanted to be careful and look after him,” Carrick said, adding that United had been lucky with injuries so far. That is the strongest reason to treat the substitution as a precaution rather than a major setback.
Mount's latest league outing had already drawn a 7.2 rating, which fits with a pre-season run that looked settled before the knock. The scene after the match mattered too, because he was not limping away in a boot or being wrapped up for a bigger issue.
United's wider night in Gothenburg
There was other football to talk about as well. Manchester United drew 1-1 with PSG in Gothenburg, and Bryan Mbeumo scored his third goal in two games. Tom Heaton also went off with a hamstring injury and was replaced by Dermot Mee, so the evening was not completely clean for United.
But the Mount story stays the main one because Carrick's update was so specific. He was kicked, he came off in the 20th minute, and he was later seen moving normally. United face Leeds United on Wednesday night, then AC Milan on August 15 before the Premier League season begins against Hull City on August 22.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
