ALBANIA V ENGLAND

SUNDAY, 5PM, ITV

MASON MOUNT is building a reputation as one of football’s great survivors. Often seen as a stopgap, or a progress-blocker keeping somebody supposedly more talented or promising out of the team, the Chelsea playmaker continues to defy his detractors and quietly make himself indispensable for both club and country.

At Stamford Bridge, Mount was viewed as teacher’s pet after a season under Frank Lampard at Derby and a subsequent key role in the Blues legend’s first year in charge in west London – given his chance in part by the club’s transfer embargo.

With the arrivals of Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz last summer, the 22-year-old’s influence was expected to diminish but instead Lampard kept faith with the youngster. When Lampard ran out of rope in January it was seen as bad news for Mount, a view seemingly borne out by his exclusion from Thomas Tuchel’s first starting line-up.

But since then, Mount has made himself indispensable – no mean feat given the new manager’s propensity to shuffle his pack.

For club, so it has been for country. Since making his debut in September 2019 Mount has appeared in 13 of England’s 14 games, scoring three goals. He has clearly earned the trust of Gareth Southgate in the same way he did Lampard and now Tuchel, and yet the Portsmouth-born schemer is not as valued by fans, many of whom would rather see Jack Grealish, Phil Foden or James Maddison given the keys to England’s attack.

With Grealish and Maddison missing this week through injury and the inexperienced Foden likely to be utilised in a wider role, that argument can wait for another international break. Mount, you suspect, won’t lose any sleep over that prospect. Under-appreciated by supporters, the 22-year-old has earned the respect of a series of managers which, really, is the thing that matters.

It is a path Slough-born Armando Broja, the 19-year-old Chelsea striker, would like to follow. Currently loaned to Vitesse Arnhem – as Mount once was – he won his first three Albania caps towards the end of last year.

Albania’s request to have 6,500 supporters in the ground in Tirana has been rejected but fears the game could be cancelled altogether have thankfully receded.

GOALS IN 13 FULL ENGLAND APPEARANCES FOR MOUNT, WHO SPENT 2017-18 ON LOAN AT VITESSE ARNHEM