The return of the defender Phil Jones has provided the Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson with added alternatives in defence and the midfield. The versatility of the player came to the fore in recent matches against West Ham and Tottenham. After the 1-1 draw with Tottenham, the manager praised the defender by saying that the team could have been even more impressive in the first half of the season had the defender stayed fit during the early stages of the campaign. The former Blackburn Rovers defender was injured during the start of the campaign, but his presence now has helped the team rediscover their defensive strength.
Many have compared Phil Jones with the Chelsea captain and defender John Terry, but Ferguson refused to compare him with the 31-year-old by saying that Jones has several attributes that make him stronger than Terry at the same age. Ferguson has said that Terry lacked pace when it came to younger days, but he has been able to compensate for it with the experience he has gathered over the years. Ferguson reckons that Jones could be one of the best players for England in the future. The £ 16 million signing has been able to play in a number of positions aside from defence.
“Jones was absolutely brilliant at Tottenham in the role we asked him to play. He did it really well. He can play anywhere. He is quick, two-sided and reads the game well. He’s competitive and has got a great change of pace going forward so the boy has done very well. Well, I think he’s got more in his locker than Terry had to be honest with you but Terry gathered experience and became a fantastic central figure for Chelsea,” said the United manager in an interview given to the official website of the club.