Varun Pai
Manchester United ace Phil Jones asks to play in U-23 game against Chelsea after impressing Ralf Rangnick in training
According to The Athletic (Subscription Required), Manchester United ace Phil Jones has asked to play in the U-23 game against Chelsea on Friday after impressing Ralf Rangnick in training.
The fringe star returned from his long-term knee injury in the summer. He was part of the pre-season but never played a game. In fact, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did not register the centre-back as a part of United’s Champions League contingent.
He was rarely named in the Premier League squad under the Norwegian but has made the matchday squad in the last four league games. Ralf Rangnick was willing to field him against BSC Young Boys last week but could not do so as the Englishman had not been registered for the competition.
Thus, the 29-year-old is now asking to play against the Chelsea U-23s on Friday, which is set to be held at Leigh Sports Village. He has already featured in one game for the development squad this season. In September, he and Dean Henderson formed part of the team that faced the Arsenal U-23s.
Jones is looking to garner minutes as he wants to be fit when called upon, or if he secures a move away in the winter transfer window.
Encouraging news
The English international deserves a fresh start after the kind of horrid injury he went through. He fell down the pecking order in the meantime and was on the fringes of first-team action under Solskjaer.
The player is looking sharper under Rangnick. And the German might provide him with some game-time, especially once the FA Cup starts next month. However, the defender could also jump-ship to seal a move elsewhere in the hope for consistent minutes.
Both are viable options since Man United are pretty covered in this department. Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, and Eric Bailly are currently being shuffled amongst each other, with Raphael Varane set to return from injury in the coming weeks, something Rangnick recently mentioned himself.
Regardless, Jones is taking a positive step by asking to play in the development squad. It is a good place to start again, and if he can deliver a positive performance, it might just persuade Rangnick to hand him a start before the end of the year.
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It is by no means a demeaning move considering there is really no other way for him right now to get regular action. United are in the thick of the action domestically and in Europe, and cannot risk not playing their best players in important games.
For Jones, this would be a chance to showcase Rangnick what he can offer, and also regain physical fitness in the process. Our U23 team is 7tth in the PL table with 21 points from 14 games, while Chelsea are in 11th, trailing Neil Wood’s side by 7 points.
