Moving to Manchester United in the summer of 2011 for £17 million from Blackburn Rovers, Phil Jones was tipped as a future top-class defender and a perfect successor in United’s centre of defence.
But his career has experienced up and down which has made him to be far from the accolades accorded him then. In his seventh season at the club, bought by Sir Alex Ferguson and currently under his fourth coach Jose Mourinho, with David Moyes and Louis van Gaal reigns sandwiched in between, Jones has had different tastes of managers’ demands and fall-outs.
The potential attributes have always been there and his brilliant displays in United three league games this season couldn’t have come as a surprise but just that lingering injuries have prevented them from being showcased week in week out.
Since joining United from the Rovers, Jones has been limited to only 170 appearances, being sidelined 15 times which kept him out for more than 500 days and has missed over 100 matches for the Red Devils.
He was almost sold by Moyes and Van Gaal as his plagues of injuries and lack of form on several occasions had prevented his career from making a steady progress. Last season, it was a different ball game for the 25-year-old who was among the players publicly criticised by Mourinho. But he has started to show his quality under the Portuguese boss this term.
The English defender has made a strong start to the Premier League this season keeping three wins and three clean sheets alongside Eric Bailly. His career seems to have been revived this campaign and as per
Squawka he has 94% pass accuracy, made seven interceptions, 2 clearances and has won two tackles so far.
With his performance so far this new campaign, he is on the path to finally proving Ferguson’s perception of him right. The former United boss had tipped him to be United Captain and the club’s all-time great player.
Against West Ham, Swansea City and Leicester City, he put in a performance worth of commendation, putting into consideration the quality of attackers he faced in those matches; Javier Hernandez, Joshua King and Jamie Vardy among others.
Though currently down at the moment with an ankle problem, according to Mourinho, a fully fit Phil Jones is equally key to United winning trophies this season.
With him United were strong and resilient at the back and should he carry on his good form, he is on his way to cementing a place in Mourinho’s starting line-up.
On the other hand, Manchester United are scheduled to be playing Stoke City in their next Premier League game and you can also buy tickets from Football TicketPad
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