“I am just happy to be back”.
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And to be completely fair to United’s defence, if it wasn’t for an out-of-this world overhead kick from Liverpool’s Christian Benteke, then they would have had a ideal defensive record at home this season. I just wanted to be part of it and I wasn’t part of it. You just have to forget about it and move on.
“Being around players like that and training with them and knowing how they go about their business on a day to day basis, as soon as those two left there was a big void that someone had to step up and I have tried to do my best to try and make an impact as much as they have”.
In total he has missed 59 matches over the last five years due to a catalogue of injuries.
The former Blackburn Rovers defender, however, is hoping to get a good run of games in his preferred central defender’s role and build a strong relationship with his England global teammate [Smalling], who he feels is a natural leader and communicator.
Jones started only his second league game of the season in Sunday’s 0-0 draw against Manchester City after more injury troubles during the summer.
“I think we can take a lot of confidence from this game”.
“We have been together from the England Under-21s and being around the same age, I think you do just click and get on”, Smalling said.
“We both have confidence in ourselves. But I thought he did great when he came on and it would have been a contender for Goal of the Season if it had gone in”.
The 22-year-old could feature in United’s Capital One Cup tie against Middlesbrough tomorrow night with Rojo also likely to feature. It would have been nice for him to sneak that one into the bottom corner but it wasn’t to be. The United manager mistakenly called the defender “Mike Smalling” at a press conference in San Jose.
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Unlucky Mike…I mean, Chris.
