Manchester United defender Phil Jones is willing to be patient as he tries to break back into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-team plans.
Jones has yet to appear for the Red Devils at the start of the 2019-20 campaign, falling down the squad pecking order after Harry Maguire’s arrival from Leicester in August.
Maguire and Victor Lindelof have been Solskjaer’s first-choice pairing at the back, with the likes of Eric Bailly, Axel Tuanzebe and Marcos Rojo also waiting in the wings.
However, Jones claims he is not fazed by his restricted role under the Norwegian boss, insisting that he is ready to step in when the opportunity arises.
Ahead of a Europa League opener against Astana on Thursday, Jones told United’s official website: “There are players like myself, who’ve not been involved as much, but it’s a chance for everyone to get games,
“It’s a busy period when all the games come thick and fast, when you need a big squad with everyone ready to fight. But it’s a period we relish.
“Since I came to this club – when I walked through the door – I knew I wasn’t just going to walk into the team and expect to play. Today’s no different.
“Of course, I want to play, but we’ve got some quality players in that position. I’ll wait for my chance and, hopefully, I’ll get a chance sooner rather than later.”
Jones went on to praise Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who also joined the Red Devils during the summer transfer window, completing a £50 million move from Crystal Palace – as per Sky Sports.
“Aaron’s come in and settled in well and, likewise, Harry,” he added. “He carries a bit more experience than Aaron but they’ve helped a lot.
“Aaron’s up and down [the pitch], his tackling’s probably some of the best I’ve seen, and no one wants to go past him. You see players now stopping, turning around and going the other way, so that’s a credit to him.
“Harry’s got the international experience. He’s a big, strong defender who has helped us and I’m sure he’ll be a great addition going forward.”
