• Premier League

Phil Jones demands fighting spirit from United

ESPNsoccernet staff
January 4, 2012
Manchester United's defending left a lot to be desired against Blackburn at Old Trafford © Getty Images
Enlarge

Manchester United defender Phil Jones has called on his team-mates to demonstrate their winning mentality by bouncing back from their shock defeat to Blackburn Rovers.

United's defence of their title suffered a setback at the weekend when they slumped to a surprise 3-2 loss to bottom-of-the-table Blackburn. Their title rivals City were also defeated, but they recovered on Tuesday night to see off Liverpool 3-0 and open up a three-point lead over the Red Devils, who travel to Newcastle on Wednesday.

Jones' side are currently in the midst of a gruelling fixture schedule, but the young defender has no complaints about the congestion and instead is relishing the test ahead on Tyneside.

"These periods are all getting bigger," he told the club's official website. "No-one is complaining. Everyone has a little bit of a moan about how many games there are around Christmas but the beauty of it is that everyone is in the same position.

"We just have to get on with it. It's about how we manage and cope with injuries. We've been a bit unfortunate but are still up there fighting with the best. I am excited and I'm loving it.

"It was a nice feeling to get out of trouble with Blackburn on the last day of the season but it's an even nicer feeling knowing you are at the top of the table with a fantastic chance of winning the English title.

"When the chips are down, you see who the real fighters are. When we kick off every week, we have 11 people fighting on that pitch to win a match. That is the beauty of Manchester United."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices