"Phil Jones should be proud of himself. He has been criticised for a number of years. He has stuck by it, he is so professional and has trained so hard. He was phenomenal. He needs respect for that."
Luke Shaw was quick to credit the performance of his fellow defensive member after the defeat to Wolves, with Jones the standout performer for United despite not having played in 708 days. From his name being read out on the teamsheet, and a headed clearance in the opening minutes, he received constant rousing ovations, with his name being sung across Old Trafford.
It has been a couple of years of utter turmoil for Jones, with the centre back marred with countless injuries for a period that extends further than his two years of absence. Unfortunately, it has erased some of the theoretical best years of his footballing career, with the once world-renowned prospect now 29 years old.
Jones himself has spoken of how taxing the past few years have been, with a compilation of the injuries and a plethora unsavoury comments from fans having an effect mentally. No doubt, the reception his every action received on Monday evening will have been a huge boost for him. Whether he manages to restore his status as more of a regular for United or not, it's a success story in itself that he has overcome the obstacles to play in the Premier League for the club again.
He gained motivation from those supporting him at Old Trafford. It was a genuinely splendid performance given he has been out of the game for two years, with no signs that he had been absent for such a prolonged period. He produced a gutsy defensive display against a firing Wolves front line.
There really was little sign of any rust, with Jones switched-on and a consistently solid presence in partnership with Raphael Varane. He hardly misjudged any challenges, intervening crucially on a few occasions with three tackles, three blocks, two interceptions and two clearances. Furthermore, he won seven of the eight duels contested and made seven ball recoveries too. He barely misplaced any passes, either, looking assured when playing out from the back with a 90% passing accuracy.
The showing against Wolves will hopefully provide a platform for even further revival. He showed elite character after the tumult of recent years.
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