Mason Mount serves up big praise for Leeds United's fans but cites helping hand for Chelsea win

Mount stepped out at Elland Road for the fourth time in his young career in Wednesday night's Premier League clash and scored the opening goal before setting up Chelsea's second in a 3-0 victory.

The 23-year-old also faced Leeds at their famous stadium with former loan club Derby County and scored as a Rams side under Frank Lampard ended United's promotion bid in the 2018-19 Championship campaign with a 4-2 win in the play-off semi-final second leg.

Three years on, the England international was again on the winning side for Thomas Tuchel's third-placed Blues but Mount singled out United's supporters for praise despite the historic rivalry between the two fan bases.

In Mount's view, scoring early against relegation-battling Leeds proved key, in addition to the helping hand of a straight red card for Dan James midway through the first half.

Victory for Chelsea came on the back of a three-game winless run and shifted momentum for the Blues ahead of Saturday's FA Cup final against Liverpool.

"It was a fun one," Mount told Sky Sports of his latest evening at Elland Road.

"I do love playing here, it is obviously a stadium with a lot of history, the fans are brilliant, they don’t like us too much so it was a good atmosphere.

"But as soon as we got the goal, we kind of quietened the stadium down a bit and then we could play our stuff and that was what the objective was in the first half.

"I was reading the programme before the game and it said make the stadium as hard to play in as possible or something like that so when you are coming here you know it's going to be tough.

"But we loved it. It was a massive game for both teams tonight, it wasn't just them, it was us as well, we needed a win after a few poor results so it was a bounce back game and then obviously you are looking forward to Saturday."

Asked if he could sense any nerves within the Leeds team and particularly in the back line, Mount reasoned: "I wouldn't say that.

"I think it was more the way we started - the counter press, the way we had the desire to win the all back high and create chances.

"That was what it was all about in the first half and the objective was to carry it on in the second, that was what the manager said at half time.

"I felt like we did that. Obviously it helps when they have got a man sent off, it makes it a bit more easier because you have more space but they kept running throughout, that's what they are all about."