Phil Jones is Man Utd's ONLY outfield survivor from 2013 title winners

As Manchester United’s longest-serving player and one of only four Englishmen to play in each of the last two World Cups, Phil Jones has achieved plenty in his career beyond picking up an unfortunate catalogue of injuries.

And despite going more than a year without playing, there is still a future for the defender at Old Trafford.

Jones is on the mend after his latest problem that required knee surgery and, after being included in the Europa League squad last week, he will be recalled to United’s Premier League squad for the second half of the season.

He’s first into the training ground every day to work with physios and fitness instructors. Working with the rest of the group and sampling Under-23 games will be the next chapter.

‘Hopefully he will get his fitness back sooner rather than later and can be available to play,’ says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Manchester United manager is aware Jones is the only outfield survivor from the club’s last title-winning side but at 28 isn’t too old to try and help United win it again.

There was massive fanfare when he signed as a teenager from Blackburn in 2011, 10 years ago this summer.

An impressive start to life at Old Trafford saw early comparisons made with the legendary Duncan Edwards. Sir Alex Ferguson proclaimed: ‘I think he may be one of the best players we have ever had’ as Jones showed power and control and looked comfortable playing anywhere in defence or midfield.

Who knows what he could have achieved without his body letting him down over the years.

Twenty different ailments over the past decade have limited him to 224 first-team games – less than half the amount possible.

All United’s managers during his time – Ferguson, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Solskjaer – have seen him suffer with a variety of back, knee, ankle, shoulder, toe and shinbone issues.

Some were due to pure bad luck - he once came off against Huddersfield after he banged a nerve in his hip and couldn’t feel his leg - and part down to natural will-to-win.

‘Phil puts his head where people wouldn't put their feet,’ assessed former United defender David May.

An incident against Stoke in 2014 which saw him hit the ground with his head after a full-blooded challenge with Jonathan Walters summed up his competitiveness.

‘Injuries are disheartening – the worst thing for a footballer,’ says Solskjaer who is sticking by Jones during the longest lay-off of his career.

Jones, whose most usual position is centre half, last played in an FA Cup tie at Tranmere on January 26, 2020.

Initially, he tried to overcome his knee problem without surgery, staying in Manchester to follow an individualised training programme during the summer whilst United were in the Europa League finals in Germany.

When that didn’t work, it was decided to seek a long-term solution and have an operation. Jones was left out of United’s Premier League squad in October to concentrate on rehab and finally there is now light at the end of the tunnel.

With two-and-a-half years left on his contract, Solskjaer had no interest in him moving him away from Old Trafford.

Jones has been scapegoated in some quarters with his injuries coinciding with a difficult period for a club struggling to recapture the glory years of Ferguson.

Yet inside United, his influence and experience are held in high regard. One of Solskjaer’s first acts as manager was to give Jones a new contract. It hasn’t paid off yet – but he still thinks it could.

‘He was brilliant when I came in so I wish him back into the squad as quick as I can. He has been working so hard to get back,’ says the manager.

Besides being a Premier League champion, Jones has won 27 England caps between enforced lay-offs and was on the bench when United won the FA Cup in 2016 and Europa League the following year.

Mentally he has needed to be strong to overcome every injury setback along the way, aware of people from outside pointing the finger.

He’s used yoga and pilates to try to help physically. ‘I’m lucky enough that I am strong mentally,’ he says.

‘People can make their own opinions up. People can talk. Ultimately I’ve won the Premier League, been to two World Cups, been to a Euros, played in the Champions League, won the Europa League, the FA Cup. They are the stats. That’s what I have done.’