• Premier League

Moyes talks up Smalling and Jones

ESPN staff
March 10, 2014
Chris Smalling and Phil Jones are likely to be understudies to Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka © Getty Images
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David Moyes claims Manchester United centre-backs Chris Smalling and Phil Jones are good enough to be England's defensive partnership at the World Cup ahead of Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka.

The Manchester United manager selected the two youngest of his five central defenders against West Brom on Saturday and they kept a clean sheet in a 3-0 win.

Moyes said: "I think the future will probably be with Jones and Smalling as the two future England centre-backs. The two boys today could easily be the two centre-backs for England in the World Cup."

Chelsea's Cahill and Everton captain Jagielka have tended to be England manager Roy Hodgson's first-choice pair, but Jones and Smalling are likely to go to the World Cup as their understudies.

Moyes can also pick from Jonny Evans, although the Northern Irishman is injured at the moment, Rio Ferdinand, who is expected to leave in the summer, and captain Nemanja Vidic, who is joining Inter Milan next season.

"They will certainly be competing with the other Manchester United centre-backs to start for this club," Moyes said.

"I've said I wanted see how they do before the end of the season. I will be continuing to use Vidic and Rio and Evans. We know Vida [Vidic] is moving on so we have to take the chance to look at what the younger ones are capable of."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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