We will all get chances to impress the boss, admits Phil Jones
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Manchester United defender Phil Jones is hoping that he gets a chance to impress Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the Europa League this season. The Red Devils kick-off their Europa League campaign against FC Astana on Thursday at Old Trafford, before a Premier League game against West Ham United.
The UEFA Europa League will be a long and draining competition and Phil Jones believes that this is the best chance that the club will get to test Manchester United’s squad depth. But despite letting go of a few stars, the Red Devils still have more than enough players to challenge for the European trophy this season, although they will have competition from Arsenal, Lazio and even PSV Eindhoven.
But in an exclusive interview with the United Review, the official match programme, Red Devils star Phil Jones has said that the European competition will allow players who cannot regularly play to make the first team. The English international did sign a new deal with the club this year but has struggled to make an appearance in the Premier League this season, with Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof the first team pair.
“Since I came to this club – when I walked through the door – I knew I wasn’t just going to walk into the team and expect to play. Today’s no different. Of course, I want to play, but we’ve got some quality players in that position. I’ll wait for my chance and, hopefully, I’ll get a chance sooner rather than later. There are players like myself, who’ve not been involved as much, but it’s a chance for everyone to get games,” Jones told the United Review.
"It’s a busy period when all the games come thick and fast, when you need a big squad with everyone ready to fight. But it's a period we relish."
Premier League managers generally rest their core group of players during the initial stages of the Europa League, rotating their squads to keep players fully fit for the latter and more important stages. Maurizio Sarri and Unai Emery did it last year and Solskjaer should do it this season, which is what many critics expect that he will do. It’s also just what Jones expects, going on to add that the club have a talented group of youth stars who deserve to make an appearance.
“There are some unbelievably talented young players coming through. That’s something we should all be excited about. Hopefully, it [the Europa League] is a great chance for them to showcase what they’re about. If they do what they do in training and in the games that I’ve seen them play, they’ll be absolutely fine,” said the experienced centre-back.
