René Meulensteen singles out Man Utd star who may face dropping ahead of Brighton match

Former coach Rene Meulensteen predicts that Joshua Zirkzee will be handed a starting role for Manchester United in their upcoming match against Brighton this weekend, at the expense of Mason Mount who is likely to be dropped from the team.

Mount, who endured a disastrous first season at Old Trafford, featured prominently in pre-season and started last Friday’s opening Premier League match against Fulham.

The former Chelsea star was subbed on the hour mark, with summer signing Zirkzee replacing him with a tight game still goalless. The Dutch forward marked his debut with a late winning goal, securing all three points for Erik ten Hag’s side in front of the Stretford End.

With Rasmus Hojlund sidelined with a hamstring injury, United started their opening game without a recognised centre forward with Bruno Fernandes taking up a more advanced role until Zirkzee entered the fray.

Meulensteen, who served as one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s right-hand men during the club’s hugely success period between 2007 and 2013, has backed his fellow Dutchman to grab a first-team role up top when United head to the south coast this weekend.

‘The difference with Zirkzee is he is far more of a real striker, a real no.9,’  Meulensteen told Metro.co.uk courtesy of Free Bets.

‘He still has to come to terms with playing for United, playing in the Premier League week in, week out, those are different demands. He’s a big boy, but for a big boy, he’s agile, he’s good dropping deep and linking play which he did for the goal but he’s also good with forward runs. He’s got a presence in the box.

‘I would rather see him starting than playing a makeshift no9 as we’ve seen with Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount or Marcus Rashford. So I wouldn’t be surprised if he came into the side this weekend and equipped himself really well.’

Mount’s performance against Fulham was questioned by some pundits but the midfielder’s pressing from the front helped create United’s best openings in the first-half. The 25-year-old should have perhaps got on the score sheet himself with a close range effort shortly before he was replaced, denied by Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

While impressed with his performances, Meulensteen believes Mount will be the man to lose his place in the side should Zirkzee come in.

‘Unfortunately, yes [Mount will drop out of the side],’ the former United coach continued. ‘You’re not dropping Bruno. He needs the freedom to play in those spaces. The problem with Mason is central is his best position, he is best equipped there but Bruno will stay there. He’s [Mount] the one will come out.

‘I would have loved to see him take that chance because he is crying out for that at the moment. That’s his strength, making those runs into the box, he is so hard to mark. That’s his thing, coming short, putting those chances away. If he was doing that, then it would be a much harder decision.

‘If he was scoring, then you keep him playing then maybe shift Bruno wide. You cannot question Mason’s work rate, he does a lot of good stuff for the team but to be really cementing his place in the team, he needs to be taking those chances.’