(Manchester United News)
Phil Jones admits the Manchester United players have enjoyed proving their critics wrong by earning maximum points from consecutive matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.
Prior to those wins, a handful of pundits described the Reds as outsiders in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League. But that view is now wide of the mark following the 3-0 home win over Spurs and Sunday’s 2-1 victory at Anfield.
United remain fourth in the Barclays Premier League table but are now five points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool with eight matches left to play. Although there are a lot of points still at stake, Jones is delighted that the Reds have found form at the right time.
“We have proved people wrong up to now,” says Phil. “People can assume and predict, and it is up to us to prove them wrong. That is what the lads enjoy doing. We enjoy proving them wrong. So far we have done that. But we said before the Liverpool game that not everything was riding on this match. We have another eight massive fixtures coming up with some tough ones away and at home. We know we are in for a difficult last eight games.”
Expanding on his point about pundits, Jones continues: “People criticising does spur you on. You are always going to get critics. We are at a massive club here at Manchester United and if things aren't going as well as they should be then there are always going to be people wanting to have a dig and a pop at you.
“We just take it on the chin. It is water off a duck's back. We know if we continue to produce performances like this week and last week then we will be fine. We have been well aware of the criticism we have had. We are professionals and we are in a job where people have an opinion about you and Jones has been impressive when playing alongside Chris Smalling against Tottenham and Liverpool, which suggests manager Louis van Gaal will continue to favour the centre-back partnership for United’s fixtures after the international break.
Their alliance was once earmarked by Sir Alex Ferguson as a natural successor to Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic’s defensive reign. While that hasn’t quite worked out, due to injury and Marcos Rojo's good form, Jones believes there is still time for both to build a sustained axis.
“It has been difficult for us," the England international admits. "It had been documented that me and Chris were going to be the next centre backs at United but it has not gone how we would have liked it. Somebody told me the other day that we have actually only played alongside each other about four times in four seasons.
“You cannot build a partnership on four games. Hopefully now we have had back-to-back games together we can keep it going and keep playing well together. We complement each other well. It is not just Chris and I going for the position though. We have some great players in the squad. Marcos Rojo has come in and been terrific. He has been a great addition to this squad. It [the competition for places] is healthy. It is what we expect and what we want.”
