Manchester United have gone through a difficult period over the past few weeks after making a shaky start to this campaign. The Red Devils currently find themselves in the 8th spot of the Premier League table following some poor losses both at home and on the road this season. They were also humiliated in front of their home supporters at Old Trafford when Frank Lampard’s Derby County knocked them out of the League Cup on penalties.
One of the major reasons for their recent shortcomings has been their horrible defensive record in domestic competitions. The Mancunian giants have shipped in 14 goals in 8 league matches which is the third-worst defensive record in the English top-flight. Except for Chris Smalling, none of the United centre-backs have managed to impress so far in this campaign.
Phil Jones’ Lack Of First-team Opportunities This Season
Phil Jones has surprising seen minimal game time this season, making just two appearances under Jose Mourinho across all competitions. The English centre-back was guilty of making some poor errors at the back against Tottenham Hotspur where he missed the crucial penalty which knocked the Red Devils out of the Carabao Cup last month.
Hence, it is clear that Mourinho does not fancy playing him regularly and his time at Old Trafford might be coming to an end unless he can turn things around soon.
What Does The English Defender Add To Mourinho’s Team?
Jones is a capable defender who is currently out of form mainly because of limited first-team opportunities. He has a commanding presence at the heart of the United backline and is quite old-fashioned when it comes to defending.
The English talent prefers to adopt a ‘no-nonsense’ approach to his game but always has an occasional mistake in him which makes him a bit unreliable at the back.
Does Jones Have A Future At Old Trafford?
A move away from Manchester, either on a loan deal or a permanent basis, might help the English talent reignite his football career. With regular minutes on the pitch, Jones has every chance of making a successful comeback after being plagued by injuries in recent times. However, his future at Old Trafford is currently looking bleak and uncertain so only time will tell whether he would be able to turn things around for the better under Mourinho.
