Mason Mount youngest Chelsea player to hit Premier League double-double

After opening the scoring last night inside of five minutes with his 11th Premier League goal of the season, Mason Mount turned provider early in the second half, by laying off the ball with a silky touch for Christian Pulisic to guide into the bottom corner. It was Mount’s 10th Premier League assist of the season, giving him double digits in both goals and assists. You might call that a double-double, as they would in basketball.

And that’s certainly a statistical mark worthy of recognition, especially if it’s your first ever, and you’re also the youngest player in club (Premier League-era) history to do so.

Mount is only the fifth player in Chelsea’s Premier League history to accomplish this feat, joining Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Juan Mata, and Eden Hazard. Not bad company! Lampard did it four times, Drogba three; surprisingly Mata and Hazard only once each, both in their final full seasons at the club.

And Mount’s the youngest to do so, at just 23. Mata was not much older at 25, but Lampard was 27, and Hazard and Drogba both 28 — though Drogba was a late bloomer who got a late start to his career, so was actually the closest to Mount in terms of senior professional match-experience accumulated up to that point in his career.

Mount has 13 goals and 16 assists in all competitions for the season, greatly improving on last year’s numbers (9g+9a), when he was already Chelsea Player of the Year. And that’s before we even consider all the unquantifiable things he does for the team, from keying the press to working tirelessly to being almost always available.

Now we just need that pesky FA Cup trophy to find its way into his hands, at the third try.

“It was a massive game for both teams. It wasn’t just them, it was us as well, we needed the win after a few poor results. [...] It was about the way we started. The counter-press, the desire to win the ball back high and create chances, that is what it was all about.”

“We spoke about how big this week was [and] we know what’s coming up next, so this is a good step towards that. It’s all exciting, we’re ready and it’s time for us to win a [Cup] final.”

-Mason Mount; source: Chelsea FC

In any case, well done, Mason Mount! Here’s to many more double-doubles (and trophies) in the years to come!