“A lot of people have mocked him” – Michael Owen defends Manchester United man, says he's ‘perfect’ for modern times
Football pundit Michael Owen has praised Manchester United centre-back Phil Jones following the latter's return to first-team action.
Jones was arguably the Red Devils' best player during the 1-0 Premier League defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this week. The Englishman, playing for the first time in almost two years, was excellent at the back, and received tremendous applause from the Old Trafford faithful at full-time.
Speaking to Stadium Astro (via Manchester Evening News), Owen said:
“He is still a very good player. A lot of people have mocked him. Made fun of him; his injury record isn’t great. We do know his quality, even though a lot of people do mock him. We know that he is a very talented player on his day.”
Phil Jones’ game by numbers vs. Wolves:
90% pass accuracy
60 touches
8 duels contested
7 duels won
7 ball recoveries
3 tackles
3 blocked shots
2 clearances
2 interceptions
1 take-on
Played well on his return to the side. 💪 https://t.co/22oYyn1fRp
The only reason Jones played against Wolves was due to fitness issues faced by Harry Maguire, Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof. Nevertheless, Owen believes the 29-year-old is 'perfect' for modern times, saying:
“He looked very good. Very quick. Almost the perfect defender for the modern times.”
Manchester United's defence has been a constant source of worry this season. Raphael Varane, who arrived last summer, has struggled for regular game time due to injuries. Maguire has been massively error-prone, while many fans believe Lindelof and Bailly aren't good enough to feature for the club.
Jones' impressive return gives the Red Devils faithful some reason to cheer. However, Manchester United will know he isn't the long-term solution to their defensive woes, considering his issues with fitness and injuries.
Phil Jones has won multiple titles with Manchester United
Jones is the longest-serving player in the current Manchester United squad, having been with the club since 2011. Despite being ravaged by injury issues in recent years, he was destined for greatness when he was first signed.
The centre-back has played 225 times for the Red Devils in the last ten years, scoring six goals and laying out ten assists. Jones has also won 27 caps for England, last featuring for them at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Phil Jones emotional after making his first appearance for Manchester United in almost 2 years 🥺❤
https://t.co/5IkYQyXUsI
He has also won numerous honours with the club, having been part of the last Manchester United squad to win the Premier League in the 2012-13 campaign. Apart from that, Jones has also won the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, UEFA Europa League and two Community Shields.