Former manager explains how Mason Mount shows Spurs are better than Man United

Former Celtic and Scotland boss Gordon Strachan has pointed to Tottenham and Man Utd’s signings of James Maddison and Mason Mount respectively as one of the reasons why the Lilywhites are a much better side than the Red Devils.

Tottenham paid £40m to land Maddison in the summer following Leicester City’s relegation from the Premier League, and the transfer has already been widely hailed as the signing of the summer (Sky Sports).

Before suffering an ankle injury at the beginning of last month, the attacking midfielder was maybe the greatest player in the division over the first few months of play.

Given the inventiveness he brings to the team, Ange Postecoglou and the Spurs supporters will be hoping the 27-year-old can get back into the game as soon as possible.

Mount, on the other hand, signed a £55 million deal to join United from Chelsea in the summer. The England international has struggled to establish himself at Old Trafford and has missed time due to injury since last month.

Maddison is better than Mount, says Strachan

Strachan believes that the acquisitions of Mount and Maddison by the two clubs show the different types of teams that Erik Ten Hag and Ange Postecoglou are building at their respective clubs.

The 66-year-old told The Mirror: “Mason Mount is one of those players who waits for people to come to him, rather than taking the ball and being a difference maker and taking players on with the ball at his feet.

“That’s the difference between him and Maddison; Maddison looks for contact, looks to take players on and make things happen. The days of two sitting midfielders and a No 10 are getting to be obsolete because football moves on so quickly.

“If you want to be a top team, you need two midfielders that can think, they can intercept and then use their

creative ability to harm rival teams in a variety of ways. In that regard, Tottenham outperforms Manchester United as a team.

I think that the fact that teams like Manchester United, Newcastle, and Chelsea viewed the former Leicester star more as a number ten than an eight and were hence unsure of his suitability for their system is one of the key reasons that Spurs were given such a free reign at Maddison.

Nevertheless, Maddison has shown at Tottenham that he is far more versatile than he was at the King Power Stadium, showcasing his ability to drop deep and get the ball.