- Phil Jones limped out of England’s clash with Germany due to injury
- Report claims Man Utd are optimistic he will face Newcastle
- Red Devils have best defensive record in Premier League
- READ MORE: Manchester United star willing to seal Real Madrid transfer if one key condition is met
With the best defensive record in the Premier League, the last thing Jose Mourinho wants is to lose a key Man Utd player to injury.
That’s what he would have feared when Phil Jones was forced to limp out of England’s international friendly with Germany last week after just 25 minutes with his thigh already heavily strapped.
It’s not the first time in recent weeks that the centre-half has broken down early on in a game, as he had to be replaced in the first-half of the defeat at Huddersfield last month too.
However, according to The Guardian, Jones is ‘optimistic of returning’ as United prepare to host Newcastle United at Old Trafford in the late kick-off on Saturday evening.
As mentioned above, the Red Devils boast the best defensive record in the league, conceding just five goals in 11 games, with two of those coming after Jones was off the pitch against Huddersfield.
Aside from that setback, he’s managed to feature in all 11 Premier League outings so far this season, establishing himself as a key component in Mourinho’s plans and so having him back available will be a major boost for the Portuguese tactician.
It’s still early in the season but with an eight-point deficit to wipe out on rivals Manchester City at the top of the standings, they can ill-afford any more slip-ups. In turn, having as close to a full-strength squad at his disposal will be crucial for Mourinho moving forward.