Mason Mount proves why he's every manager's darling boy as Chelsea beat Porto

Chelsea returned to winning ways on Wednesday when they defeated Porto 2-0 in the Champions League quarter-final first leg in Seville.

The Blues had suffered a damaging 5-2 defeat at the hands of West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. However, they produced the perfect reaction by beating the Portuguese side.

Goals from either side of the half from Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell were enough to secure an important victory for Thomas Tuchel and his charges.

It has been a tough week for Chelsea following the defeat to West Brom and some training ground bust-ups. However, their performance on Wednesday was solid, as they put Porto to the sword.

Mount magic downs Porto

Mount has undoubtedly been Chelsea's best player this season despite the investments made in bringing in other stars. The likes of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech have all struggled to make their mark.

On Wednesday, Mount was once again the star man as his unreal goal opened the scoring against Porto. The 22-year-old stunned Chancel Mbemba after producing a superb turn before unleashing a low shot into the back of the net.

The praise for the midfielder’s performance was effusive on social media, with Gary Lineker describing him as 'magnificent'. Tuchel was also in awe of Mount’s class and maturity on the pitch.

“Mason played a very good game, he linked up well with Reece down the right side and his goal was a very crisp and clinical strike. He deserved that because he played a good game,” the Blues boss said, as quoted by Chelseafc.com.

“It came in a moment where we suffered a lot, and where we felt the team was a bit too tense and not precise enough. We lacked a bit of freedom to adapt positions but the finishing was clinical and excellent from Mason.

“He has the quality to do this and to do it in a quarter-final is a big step for him and a big help for the team so I’m very happy for the two.”

There was a time when some fans and pundits criticized Mount’s inclusion in the Chelsea team. However, he has since proven his value.

It’s no coincidence that Frank Lampard, Tuchel and Gareth Southgate all prefer him as a starter in their teams. It’s now clear why he’s the first name on their team sheets.

Mount is just too good and his latest match-winning performance against Porto is evidence of why he’s every manager’s darling boy.

Meanwhile, Chelsea now have one foot in the semi-finals of the Champions League after recording a 2-0 win over Porto.

Tuchel’s side has lost just once in their last 15 matches and it is difficult to see how Porto will be able to overturn the result from the first leg.