Fighting fit for United

Date published: 19 December 2014


PHIL Jones hopes he will finally be able to rid himself of the “injury–prone” tag that has dogged him throughout his career.

As the Barclays Premier League season nears its halfway point and Manchester United prepare for tomorrow’s match at Aston Villa, Jones has played only five times for Manchester United this term.

The defender/midfielder was an ever–present during United’s pre–season tour of the United States, but he strained his hamstring during England’s win against Switzerland in September and, as soon as he returned, he suffered shin splints and missed seven matches.

It was a pattern Jones is all too familiar with. Ever since he broke on to the scene as a teenager at Blackburn Rovers five seasons ago, his career has been interrupted by injury — something he is clearly annoyed at.

“It’s just the nature of football. People don’t wake up one morning and say I fancy being injured today. It is just the way it is,” said Jones.

“I started the pre–season and played every single game and every single training session.

“I’d never had a muscle injury in my life and then on international duty, I pulled my hamstring. And when I was coming back I had shin splints.”

His latest setbacks have restricted his playing time of late, but he suffered no reaction when he returned to action in Sunday’s 3–0 win over Liverpool and he hopes to go through the rest of the season without any problems.

Meanwhile, United manager Louis van Gaal believes the club’s academy will maintain its production line for the first team.

This season Paddy McNair (19), Tyler Blackett (20), Tom Thorpe (21), and Jesse Lingard (22) have made Premier League debuts, while 19–year–old James Wilson has been given a more prominent role.

Van Gaal is confident United’s youth programme will create future stars, saying: “I think we have shown that we have belief in young talent and give them the chance to show themselves in the first team.”