My great expectations
LANCS CHAIRMAN ON BRIGHT FUTURE /PAGES 42&43
JOSE Mourinho has warned England that Phil Jones requires ‘a lot of care’ after revealing the defender is struggling with an ankle injury.
Jones, 25, has been excellent for the Reds this season and formed a rock-steady partnership with Eric Bailly.
England manager Gareth Southgate has called up Jones for the World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia next month but Mourinho has urged caution with the centre-back as United prepare for seven games in September.
Since his £16m move from Blackburn six years ago, Jones has suffered 31 separate injuries.
“He’s potentially a very good player,” Mourinho said. “He’s still young and, he’s still in a learning age but for years and years and years he was injury-prone and he has a problem now. He’s complaining about an ankle problem.
“So he’s the kind of player where we need to have him always in our hands with a lot of care from the medical department, from the fitness coach, from my assistants, in the gym, always working on prevention and recovery. If we manage to have him safe, protected from injuries, I think potentially he is everything I like in a central defender.
“Eric is playing really well, I have to say [Chris] Smalling is in very good conditions and I have also to say Victor [Lindelof] is improving every day.”
United maintained their 100 per cent Premier League record with a 2-0 win over Leicester on Saturday and Mourinho believes their impressive start is owed to not having any midweek fixtures.
When United’s schedule resumes after the September international fortnight, they travel to Stoke and their Champions League opener against Basel three days later is the first of three home games within eight days.
“When you start playing every two days, every three days, it’s more based on what you build during pre-season and what you build during these weeks that are not going to be repeated,” said Mourinho.
United special: Pages 49-51