Wantaway Wilf strikes
DERBY new boy Mason Mount had boss Frank Lampard purring after getting his Rams career off to a flier.
The Chelsea prodigy, 19, starred along with fellow summer signing Harry Wilson, on loan from Liverpool, and two-goal Tom Lawrence in a comfortable win over Southampton.
“I know Mason well,” said Lampard. “I don’t want to heap anything on him, it’s up to him.
“He showed it in the Chelsea youth team, which is obviously a level, he was outstanding there, he went to Vitesse Arnhem last year and was outstanding there.
“This is another level, this is the Championship and it’s going to be a long, hard season.
“But what Mason brings is real energy, real quality and we talk about humility, he just wants to do well and improve as a player.
“He showed lots of glimpses of that and he will be very good for us, I hope.”
Southampton are a couple of weeks behind Derby in their preparations and it showed as Lawrence scored two well-taken goals.
The Rams bagged their third when Alex McCarthy could only parry an effort from Florian Jozefzoon, who joined the club from Brentford last week, into the path of Mason Bennett and he slotted home.
Saints boss Mark Hughes said: “At times we weren’t bright enough, we need to get the sharper elements of our play up to speed. On this showing we need a little bit more.
“But we’ll probably have to sell or allow players to go out of the club if we’re to bring anyone in.” WILFRIED ZAHA ended a week of uncertainty to lead Crystal Palace to a comeback win over Oxford United yesterday.
The star winger, 25, told Selhurst Park chiefs that he wanted to leave the club earlier in the week, putting Tottenham on red alert.
But his goal drew Palace level at the Kassam Stadium before Jeffrey Schlupp and Sullay Kaikai rounded off a
3-1 victory. Elsewhere, Jonny Evans made his first Leicester appearance as they ran out
4-1 winners at Notts County.