ALL IS WELLS FOR HOOPS’ PLAY-OFF BID
Mount ends three-month drought and sets his sights on being leader like boss Lamps
Godfrey
Tomori Marriott Pukki Mount Jozefzoon
MASON MOUNT feels the pressure has lifted off his shoulders after he helped Derby grab a sensational win.
The on-loan Chelsea midfielder is only 19 but has been in the England squad – and he is determined to become a leader like Rams boss Frank Lampard (above).
Mount was feeling bogged down by not scoring since Derby beat Brentford in September.
But he rectified that here and helped Lampard’s men to an astonishing result. Norwich were 2-0 up but Mount’s shortcorner routine helped cut the gap to 2-1 with a Fikayo Tomori goal, then he fired in an equaliser.
Although Derby fell 3-2 behind, they turned things around at the death in stunning fashion with goals from Florian Jozefzoon and Jack Marriott.
Mount said: “I’m only young so it is tough at times. When I have a run where I haven’t scored for a while, I put a lot of pressure on myself to step up.
“I feel like I’m a big player within this team. I need to step up and lead.
“Even though I’m maybe not the biggest talker on the pitch, I need to lead by example. To REF: finally get a goal helps you out and gives you more confidence.”
The dramatic finish followed a 15-minute delay – while Norwich led 3-2 – as a floodlight stopped working. Mount admitted: “When something like that stoppage happens, it affects the winning team more.
“We had time to speak in the changing room. When we came back out, all we had on our minds was attack.
“Coming here was a massive game. This is definitely our No.1 win of the season.
“If someone said to us, at 2-0 down, that we were going to score four and win, you wouldn’t have believed them. ATT: Football is unbelievable.” The Canaries deserved their two early goals from Ben Godfrey and the in-form Teemu Pukki, who struck again just before the late chaos.
Boss Daniel Farke admits he must speak to his defence about tightening up.
Pukki said: “It had been us scoring at the end before, but this time it was not our turn.
“We need to feel a bit sad and angry about this result but we play again soon against Brentford on New Year’s Day, which is good.”
NORWICH: DERBY: MOTM MARIO VRANCIC (NORWICH) READING NAHKI WELLS’ New Year’s resolution is to score the goals to fire QPR into the Championship play-off places.
The on-loan Burnley striker drew a blank against struggling Reading, squandering two halfchances as Rangers’ bid for a fourth straight win to move into the top six was thwarted.
But Wells (above) has hit six goals since August and is confident there is more to come.
“I feel my best years are yet to come,” he said. “I’m happy to be back playing and scoring goals. In the New Year, I just want to better what I’m doing now and take this club back where they belong.
“It will be difficult with the clubs around us, but we have what a lot of teams don’t and that’s togetherness and fighting spirit.
“Anything is possible. We just have to keep going.”
Despite their lowly league position, Reading were the better side in the opening 45 minutes. Yakou Meite went close three times, although Hoops defender Toni Leistner did smack a shot against the bar from six yards.
Rangers improved after the break. Anssi Jaakkola saved a Luke Freeman effort and Leistner hit the woodwork again.
The draw stretches Reading’s winless run to nine games to keep them in the bottom three, but midfielder John Swift believes there are signs of improvement under new boss Jose Gomes.
“We deserved more,” said Swift. “We played really well. On another day we’d take all three points.
“It’s a different coaching team and a different style. They’ve come in and set the standard high. They’ve got their ideas across in a short space of time.” QPR: READING: REFEREE:
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