Frank Lampard’s return could give out-of-favour Mason Mount a fresh start at Chelsea

Graham Potter's time at Chelsea can best be described as fluctuant. The 47-year-old was supposed to usher the club into a new era but nothing really went according to plan.

After weeks of speculation over Potter's future, last week’s 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa, where the Blues were largely outplayed in front of a packed Stamford Bridge crowd, was the final straw.

He has since been sacked, with Frank Lampard appointed as caretaker manager until the end of the season. One player who will likely benefit the most from this managerial switch is Mason Mount.

Mount was Chelsea’s talisman during Lampard’s first spell but has struggled for form since Potter’s arrival, even losing his place in the starting line-up.

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Mount was out of favor under Potter

Having invested millions to revamp the squad, Chelsea are spoilt for options in attack. The arrival of Joao Felix, who plays similarly to Mason Mount, has also left the English midfielder down the pecking order.

Injuries have certainly played a role in Mount’s difficult season, but it just didn’t seem like Graham Potter trusted him enough.

With just three goals and six assists in all competitions this season, coupled with the standoff over his contract, which expires at the end of next season, it isn’t hard to see why the 24-year-old was out of favor under Potter.

Having been an unused substitute in Chelsea’s last two matches, Lampard’s return offers Mount the perfect shot at redemption and he must grab his chance with both hands.

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Clean slate for Mount under Lampard

Frank Lampard has previously shown that he trusts Mason Mount, probably more than any other manager. He managed the midfielder at Derby County and gave him his debut at Chelsea.

Such was their close relationship that some fans felt Lampard, in his previous spell with the club, was showing favoritism by picking Mount even when the player wasn’t in form.

Lampard always knew how to bring the best out of Mount. First at Derby and later at Chelsea, he made Mount a world-beater and now that he’s back, it presents a clean slate for the 24-year-old to get back to his best.

Speaking ahead of the weekend's Premier League game against Wolves, Lampard said (as quoted by Sky Sports):

"Mason has always been a fantastic player for me at Derby and Chelsea. I know he's had a few slight injury problems. I need to speak to him and find out where he's at, but I know what I get from Mason. He's a huge player for Chelsea."

He added:

"Modern-day football has big squads and I understand Chelsea might be at the top end. I remember being here before and having that. Maybe in the short term, that's a positive thing for me because everyone can have a clean slate."

Under Lampard, Mount played 37 Premier League matches in the 2019/20 campaign – missing just one match all season – and was involved in 13 goals. This is a fresh start for the midfielder and he should have more opportunities under the ex-Blues talisman.