Mason Mount can be an inspiration to Chelsea stars struggling for form, according to head coach Frank Lampard.
The England midfielder made the difference on Saturday as the Blues recorded just their second victory in seven Premier League games.
Mount struck the only goal in the 1-0 win over 10-man Fulham, a result that leaves them five points outside the top four.
The 22-year-old has mostly been in top form amid a mixed season for Chelsea, in which expensive signings such as Timo Werner and Kai Havertz have failed to impress.
Lampard believes plenty in his squad could learn from Mount's example.
"I keep talking about him a lot, and his work ethic in training is one of those reasons, he keeps his standards high in training every day. There are things that other players can look at with Mason," he told reporters ahead of Tuesday's clash with Leicester City.
"And at the same time it's clear when you're in a difficult patch individually or collectively you have to fight and play your way out of it, so you rely on players around you doing their job.
"Mason's doing it at the minute, but we've got lots of players like that in forward areas, we just need a kick-start from them, we need to see some numbers, production from the front end of the pitch.
"You look around the Premier League and you see teams that have been successful generally or in good runs have people at the top end of the pitch that are firing and scoring and assisting, and we've been a bit short of that recently, but it will come back.
"The players have to fight their way back through those little periods or patches, and at the moment Mason is a good example of someone that's always fighting, and is playing really well."
Lampard also dismissed any lingering critics of Mount, saying: "I'm not sure how anybody could really criticise him of late.
"Mason's type, the type of midfield player he is, he does so much great work for the team off the ball, which I think for the naked eye is not as exciting as an overhead kick or treble step-over.
"He does all those basics well, he moves the ball so quickly, he's a great team-mate, we've seen recently he scores goals, he finds assists, he does all those things so I don't think it matters if people are critical in any way.
"One thing he has got as well is a really great attitude. He has a really great way of seeming like he is never perturbed by critics outside. The critics are wrong. There is no doubt about that.
"Anyone who knows football and watches Mason Mount play understands what an incredible talent he is. He's just turned 22. Imagine when he's 25, imagine when he's 27. The critics don't matter when it comes to Mason."
The win at Fulham was another frustrating outing for Werner, who missed a clear-cut chance to make the points safe in the closing moments.
The former RB Leipzig striker has scored four times in 18 Premier League games and just once in his past 13 outings in all competitions, in the 4-0 FA Cup win over League Two side Morecambe.
Werner's struggles have seen him compared to Fernando Torres, who endured a difficult time at Stamford Bridge after moving from Liverpool, but Lampard said: "I don’t want to compare him to anybody.
"Everybody’s story is different. Fernando Torres had difficult times here and came away winning the Champions League so I don't think we should compare too much.
"All we need to do here at the moment, Timo, myself and team-mates around him, is to create the best environment to get the best out of Timo, which means himself working hard.
"Any striker knows – when you see the chances he missed the other day that's just repetition on the training ground. Everybody will go through those moments whether you repeat it a thousand times or not. But when you are in that moment you must repeat and keep working.
"He also needs support around him. He needs to keep his head up and focus and my job is to support around him and give him positivity and confidence. Timo Werner didn't by chance score the amount of goals of the last few seasons. He scored those goals because of his huge talent.
"A tough time for him at the moment is a small period in what I believe will be a fantastic career for him going forward at Chelsea. I've got no doubts about that. I hope people around him can also see it that way."
Shakhtar complain to European Commission amid €40m FIFA contract dispute
Shakhtar Donetsk have filed a complaint against FIFA to the European Commission, claiming a ruling allowing their foreign players to suspend their contracts has cost them €40million.
After Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, FIFA permitted foreign players based in the country to suspend their contracts until June 2023, allowing them to seal short-term moves elsewhere.
Claiming those measures will likely be extended through to June 2024, Shakhtar – who have previously seen an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed – pledged to continue to fight the ruling.
A statement from the club's chief executive Serhiy Palkin said: "Action has been taken to file this complaint to the European Commission, given the importance of Shakhtar undertaking transfer market trading with players within the European Union.
"Therefore, it is entirely legitimate and fair to bring this complaint before the EU Commission since FIFA's actions violate EU competition law.
"The over-reaching measures applied by FIFA led to the massive loss of player transfer income and a depletion of essential club revenues amounting to approximately €40million.
"We expect the European Commission to understand and appreciate the extreme financial pressures being placed on our club due to FIFA's actions – at a time when our nation is being ravaged by an illegal war."
Rumour Has It: Real Madrid track Liverpool forward Salah and in-form Hojlund
Real Madrid need a transition plan as captain Karim Benzema heads towards his late thirties, and that could lead them to making a summer swoop for a new forward.
There has been plenty of speculation about Mohamed Salah's future with Liverpool over the past few months, even with the 30-year-old Egyptian being contracted to the Reds until 2025.
Rumours have continued to emerge about a possible move, but Madrid also reportedly have their eye on Victor Osimhen, Harry Kane and Rasmus Hojlund as they consider various options.
TOP STORY – REAL MADRID WANT A NEW STRIKER
Real Madrid might see Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah as an option for an off-season transfer, claims Defensa Central.
The report claims Los Blancos could consider Salah while they also look at other possible acquisitions, including Napoli's Serie A top scorer Victor Osimhen and Tottenham's ever-prolific Harry Kane.
Karim Benzema turns 36 later this year, and Madrid will need other proven frontline options for when the Frenchman steps away from the spotlight.
Rasmus Hojlund, who has settled in well at Atalanta this season, is also said to be admired at Madrid, no doubt helped by him scoring five goals in his first two starts for Denmark during the recent international break.
ROUND-UP
– The Guardian claims Mason Mount is open to a move to German champions Bayern Munich amid swirling rumours about their new boss Thomas Tuchel's interest in a reunion. Mount and Chelsea have reportedly reached a stalemate in their discussions on a new contract. Tuchel left Chelsea in September.
– Manchester City have identified Borussia Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko as a target, reports Football Transfers. The report claims City are fearing Erling Haaland's exit but could use any incoming funds to facilitate a move for the Dortmund forward.
– David de Gea has rejected Manchester United's initial new contract offer which he believes is not adequate, according to The Athletic. The 32-year-old Spanish goalkeeper is out of contract at the end of this season, with United proposing a pay cut in his new deal. The report states an agreement on new terms is expected to be reached.
– Bayern are not interested in either of West Ham's Declan Rice or Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic, reports Sky Sport Germany's Florian Plettenberg.
Premier League Fantasy Picks: Saka to strike against Leeds, Ings to haunt Southampton
After an unwelcome international break the view of many, Premier League football returns this weekend with plenty to decide at both ends of the table.
A gruelling clash between title-chasing Manchester City and top-four hopefuls Liverpool kicks things off on Saturday, with league leaders Arsenal hosting Leeds United later in the day and potentially having the opportunity to extend their lead at the summit.
Bukayo Saka is once again one to watch at Emirates Stadium, having maintained his fine form over the international break on England duty, and it would be wise to draft him into your fantasy squad if he is not yet in the side.
Elsewhere, Kai Havertz's resurgence is one to keep an eye on, while Danny Ings and Jack Harrison are also worth a punt.
Using Opta data, we've highlighted exactly why that quartet should be on your hit list.
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal v Leeds United)
The Hale End graduate is the only player in the Premier League to have hit double figures for both goals (12) and assists (10) this season, with Saka in particularly devastating form at Emirates Stadium.
Overall, 14 of his 22 goal involvements have come in north London, standing behind only Erling Haaland (23) for the most direct goal involvements at home in the Premier League.
Last time out against Crystal Palace, Saka scored twice and contributed an assist to help Arsenal maintain their title charge, then carrying that form into England duty and scoring against Ukraine at Wembley.
Kai Havertz (Chelsea v Aston Villa)
Linked with a move to Bayern Munich at the end of the season following Thomas Tuchel's appointment in Bavaria, Havertz has hit a fine vein of form at a crucial stage of the season in Chelsea's top-four bid.
Seven goals this season puts Havertz just one shy of his tally from last season, while he enters the clash against Aston Villa having scored in each of his last two Premier League appearances – meaning he could score in three consecutive games for the first time since March 2022.
No player has been involved in more goals under Graham Potter than Havertz (six goals, one assist), scoring twice the amount as Chelsea's next leading scorer under the Englishman (Mason Mount, three).
Danny Ings (West Ham v Southampton)
Ings has established a fine record of haunting his former employers in the Premier League, having been directly involved in 10 goals in his last 14 such matches (seven goals, three assists).
That includes involvement in three goals in his last two appearances against Southampton (one goal, two assists), who may wonder what might have been had he been in their ranks in the fight for Premier League survival.
Since January 21, no West Ham player has a higher goals-per-game ratio (0.55) or expected goals (0.56) return, while only Jarrod Bowen (6.43) and Said Benrahma (5.29) have more touches in the opposition box per 90 minutes than Ings (4.66).
Jack Harrison (Arsenal v Leeds United)
With six assists over the course of the season, Harrison ranks sixth across the entirety of the Premier League in that regard, with only Christian Eriksen (seven), Mohamed Salah (seven), Leandro Trossard (eight), Saka (10) and Kevin De Bruyne (12) having more.
In Leeds' bid for survival, Harrison has been the catalyst in pushing the club away from the bottom three and travels to Emirates Stadium having scored in consecutive Premier League matches.
Only Rodrigo (12) has been involved in more Leeds goals this term than Harrison (nine), while nobody has created more chances for the Yorkshire side than the midfielder (41).
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