Manchester United defender Phil Jones, speaking to the club’s official website claimed Oliver Giroud’s late goal, a minute from normal time securing the draw for Arsenal “felt like a 6-0 slapping”. The defender believes United were the better side against the Gunners at Old Trafford as Mata set the ground running with United seeming to hold on for the three points before substitutes Oxlade-Chamberlin and Giroud combined to draw level.
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Jones who returned to the United first team fold a couple of weeks ago after niggling injuries had kept him out of action for an extended period. When quizzed on the injury Jones said, “It is awful, but as a footballer you can’t feel sorry for yourself, go into a little hole and never come out of your home.
“You have got to go about your day as you would normally, work hard in training and I have worked to get back to where I am now. I want to stay here, and I want to play more games.”
Thrown right back into the thick of things, Jones seemed at home playing football again at the highest level, doing a remarkably good job alongside Marcos Rojo, keeping the world class attacking lineup of the Gunners at bay. A commanding performance by the Englishman sets the tone for United going forward, as he looks like a player who never was away, creating a feeling similar to the arrival of a new signing for the United faithful.
“We completely dominated the game from start to finish, and even when they had a spell of possession they never really created anything to test us,” said Jones after the game against the Gunners.
"I thought we defended well, created chances and it was just one of those things. They got one chance and scored. We have to pick ourselves up, we are pleased with the performance but not with the result,” he went on to add.
With Smalling and Bailly out of action for different reasons, Jones has found his spot back at the heart of United’s defence. The defender has asked the fans to stay calm and backed manager Jose Mourinho, insisting luck will favour United shortly, provided work is continued to be done at the same high level, claiming there’s no need to panic.
“It is crazy. If we had won then, we would have been three points behind Arsenal. Arsenal have had a ‘world class’ season, and we are supposed to have had an average season. That is just the way the Premier League works. But we are pleased with the performance. We created chances and probably should have scored more.
“There is no need to panic yet. We have been playing well and creating chances; it is just that bit of luck that we need and hopefully, it will come soon.”
