Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha back in Man Utd squad to take on Chelsea

Under-fire Ruben Amorim says Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount are back for Manchester United’s crunch clash against Chelsea.

The Red Devils have stumbled out of the blocks this season, with an embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to Grimsby compounded by a poor return of four points from their first four Premier League games.

United put in an alarming display in last Sunday’s meek 3-0 derby loss at Manchester City, which Cunha missed after pulling up in the first half against Burnley before the international break.

Mount also missed the Etihad Stadium trip having been withdrawn at half-time against the Clarets but the pair are back for Saturday evening’s game against Mount’s former club.

United boss Amorim said: “(Diogo) Dalot is out. Mason is in the squad and Cunha is in the squad. Licha (Lisandro Martinez) is still out.

“(Tyrell Malacia) is returning to the contact with team-mates and the ball in the Under-21s and then we will see.”

The return of Cunha and Mount is an important boost to a side that has lacked a clinical edge in front of goal, meaning they enter the weekend 14th in the standings having finished 15th last term.

The continuation of United’s poor domestic form has led pressure to mount on manager Amorim, who spoke with Sir Jim Ratcliffe on Thursday as the co-owner visited their Carrington training ground.

Asked what they had spoken about, the Portuguese said with a laugh: “New contract. He was offering me a new contract.

“No, it’s normal things, just to show the support, explaining that it’s a long project. He said many times ‘this is my third season’. For me it’s not, but normal things.

“Spoke with him, with Omar (Berrada, chief executive), with Jason (Wilcox, director of football) just trying to see all the data around the team, so a normal meeting and we had several.

“But in this moment it is normal people pay attention to that.”

Amorim is well aware of the mounting pressure and need for a victory but he has seen enough positives in United’s play to be optimistic ahead of Saturday’s clash against Enzo Maresca’s Blues.

“Guys, this is football and this is the club with more pressure maybe (than any) in the world,” he said. “But we want to win.

“You can say whatever and I think last year I was very critical of the way we play. I think we are playing well until the boxes, defending and attacking. We need to be more aggressive in the boxes. We need to be more clinical.

“The rest I think we are improving and comparing to last year I think we are in a better place.

“But, again, we need to win. We lost against Arsenal and we lost against City and here losing, especially in the beginning after last season, is a problem.”

Amorim was upbeat on the eve of the game but unwilling to speak about Alejandro Garnacho as the United academy graduate prepares to return to Old Trafford three weeks on from his acrimonious exit.

The 21-year-old had angered the manager and many supporters before moving to Chelsea, where he has signed a seven-year contract having made a £40million switch.

“Garnacho is not our player,” Amorim said. “I’m focused on our players. I’m really happy with Mason and Cunha returning.

“That is my focus. The rest, you have to talk to the Chelsea manager.”