MX23RW : Monday, November 25 05:00:52| >> :120:29188:29188:
[monks data]
Attendance: 52,309
Newcastle logo
Premier League
Feb 11, 2018 at 2.15pm UK
 
Manchester United logo

1-0

Ritchie (65')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Phil Neville: 'Phil Jones, Chris Smalling are a disaster'

Former Manchester United defender Phil Neville brands Phil Jones and Chris Smalling a "disaster" pairing for the club in recent weeks.

Former Manchester United defender Phil Neville has branded Phil Jones and Chris Smalling a "disaster" pairing for the club in recent weeks.

Jones conceded a calamitous own goal during a recent defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, while Smalling was penalised for diving against Newcastle United on Sunday, with the Magpies going on to score the winning goal from the resulting free kick.

United still boast the best defensive record in the Premier League, but Neville believes that is down to the likes of David de Gea and Nemanja Matic rather than their centre-back pairing.

"They have got the best defensive record because they have the best goalkeeper in the world in David de Gea and Matic out in front who protects them really well," Neville told BBC Sport.

"But the last two away games, Smalling and Jones have been a disaster. Against Dele Alli and Harry Kane, they got bullied. Against Newcastle did they make many mistakes, no, but they created a nervousness and a tension.

"They were making decisions that were strange. They were making decisions all day where you were thinking: 'What are you doing?'"

United's defeat leaves them 16 points behind leaders Manchester City and now just two above third-placed Liverpool.

ID:318554: cacheID:318554:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2842:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Phil Jones in action for Manchester United on January 1, 2018
Read Next:
Lascelles: 'Man United players went missing'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!