Why did Chelsea not play Mason Mount during 2-0 loss to Aston Villa? Graham Potter provides clarification
Mason Mount didn't feature at all as Chelsea were defeated 2-0 by Aston Villa in their latest Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge. The Blues manager Graham Potter explained the reason behind Mount's absence.
Considering the Blues were searching for goals after finding themselves down by a scoreline of 2-0 in the 56th minute, many expected Mount to come on. However, Potter opted for players like N'Golo Kante, Noni Madueke, Conor Gallagher, and Christian Pulisic.
The Blues' boss has now explained that lack of fitness was the reason behind Mount's absence from the lineup. Speaking to the media after the clash against Aston Villa, Potter said (via Metro):
"With Mason, I just felt we were there, we were there in the game. We made some attacking subs and wanted to see how it all landed. Mason’s coming back. He only had a couple of days' training."
While Mount has been a crucial player for Chelsea in recent seasons, his form this campaign has been far from ideal. The attacking midfielder has scored only three goals and has provided seven assists in 32 matches this term.
Mount, however, earned plaudits for his gesture after the defeat against Aston Villa. Despite the result, he went on to the pitch to applaud the home fans, a move that signifies his passion for the club.
Chelsea manager Graham Potter assessed the performance against Aston Villa
The defeat against Aston Villa meant that the Blues have now won only two out of their last five league games.
Despite the dismal run of form, Potter took some positives out of the performance against the Villans. He told the media afterward (via Metro):
"If you look at the stats of the game, apart from the most important stat, there’s a lot there that says we did a lot well but ultimately the two boxes are the most important area and that’s where we’ve come up short. First half I thought we had a couple of opportunities, we won it back high and created a one-on-one situation pretty early in the game."
Potter further added:
"I thought the team gave everything, I thought the intention of the team was there. You could tell by the amount of times we got in their box, the shots we had, there was a positive intent but the scoreline is painful for us."
Chelsea are currently 11th in the league and have a tough game coming up next. They host Liverpool in a Premier League clash on April 5.