Manchester United defender Phil Jones could miss a significant portion of his club’s hectic April schedule after withdrawing from the latest England squad through injury.
United play a grand total of nine matches next month, with the Red Devils taking on seven Premier League games, as well a two-legged Europa League quarterfinal with Belgian side Anderlecht.
Manager Jose Mourinho will therefore need to rotate his squad, so an injury to Jones, who has started 19 matches in all competitions this season, will come as a bitter blow.
Jones withdrew from Gareth Southgate’s England squad ahead of the upcoming games against Germany and Lithuania with a suspected toe problem, according to The Times.
England boss Southgate told the newspaper: “We’ll know more once he’s had a scan or X-ray. It was just a sort of innocuous tackle. He’s caught the bottom of somebody’s foot.”
The Times report that Jones could miss ‘several games’ in April.
United’s mad month begins with a home clash against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday 1, before Everton come to Old Trafford three days later.
Trips to Sunderland and Anderlecht are then followed by Chelsea at home, before the return leg against Anderlecht.
United finish April with three Premier League matches in eight days as visits to Burnley and Manchester City lead into Swansea at home.