Jones: No need to panic

Date published: 21 November 2016


PHIL Jones insists there is "no need to panic" despite Manchester United's stuttering league form continuing thanks to a last-gasp Arsenal leveller that left the team feeling like they had been "slapped 6-0".

Much was expected of Jose Mourinho's men having started the season with three successive wins, yet United have won just two of the subsequent nine Premier League games.

The latest frustrating chapter came on Saturday lunchtime as Juan Mata deservedly put the hosts ahead, only for substitute Olivier Giroud to cancel it out in the 89th minute to earn Arsenal a fortuitous 1-1 draw.

It was the Gunners' only attempt on target and meant United were held to a third straight league draw on home turf for the first time since 1992.

DOMINATED

"It feels like we have been slapped 6-0," defender Jones said. "We completely dominated the game from start to finish.

"I thought even when they had a spell of possession they never really created anything to test us.

"I thought we defended well, created chances and it was just one of those things. They got one chance and scored.

"We are pleased with the performance but not with the result."

The draw, on the back of similarly dispiriting results at home to Stoke and Burnley, led Mourinho to claim his side are the unluckiest in the league - sentiments Jones concurred with.

"It is crazy," the 24-year-old said. "If we had won, then we would have been three points behind Arsenal.

WORLD-CLASS


"Arsenal have had a world-class season and we are supposed to have had an average season. That is just the way the Premier League works.

"But we are pleased with the performance, I thought we created chances and probably should have scored more.

"There is no need to panic yet. We have been playing well and creating chances, it is just that bit of luck that we need and hopefully it will come soon."