JONES: ‘WE WERE A LAUGHING STOCK UNDER JOSE’:
DEFENDER ADMITS IT WAS TOUGH FOR EVERYONE AT UNITED
PHIL Jones claims United were a laughing stock earlier in the season, but have managed to turn things around with their current run of good form.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side made it 11 games unbeaten with a convincing 3-0 win against relegation-threatened Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday and Jones believed the performance and result showed the Reds need to be taken seriously.
Solskjaer has improved morale at the club as well as the results on the pitch and Jones explained how things have changed in the last few weeks.
“Everyone’s got to take us seriously now,” Jones said.
“We might have been a bit of a laughing stock at the beginning of the season but we’re certainly not now.
“We’ve proven that in the last 10 or 12 games. We’re improving, we’re still getting better.”
The centre-back, who played alongside Chris Smalling in the win at Fulham, admitted it was a tough time at the club as they experienced their worst start to a league campaign in 28 years.
“It was tough for everyone involved. The club, the supporters, everyone,” Jones added. “But it’s about becoming stronger and seeing that through.
“I’ve said it in the past, we’ve not achieved anything yet, we’re under no illusions but we’re heading in the right direction.”
The 26-year-old recently signed a new four-year deal keeping him at the club until 2023 but over the past few months United have been linked with a whole host of world-class defenders as they look to shore-up the back line.
But the speculation and reports aren’t something that bother the England international.
“Not really, if I’m brutally honest,” he replied when asked if it stung United were in the market for a new centreback. “Since I’ve come to this club we’ve signed players left, right and centre: forwards, defenders, goalkeepers.
“We’re Man United, of course we’re going to be interested in the best players in the world, I’d be pretty amazed if we weren’t.”
And Jones believes the win against Fulham, which allowed United to push in to the top four for the first time this season, sent a big statement to the Reds’ closest rivals as they battle for the Champions League spots.
“We knew we could get into the top four. It’s a big statement from where we were. We just need to keep improving and keep picking up points,” he said.
“Consistency is key in any sport and it’s no different here.
“We’re putting a run together, we need to keep momentum going and pick up points. It’s a tough period coming up, but these are the games you want to play in, the games you want to be available for. Bring it on!”