Manchester United star sent home from England National Team duty

The English FA have on Monday night confirmed that Manchester United center-half Phil Jones has returned to Old Trafford due to injury.

The 25-year-old central defender has been one of the best performers for United so far this campaign, forming a brilliant partnership with Eric Bailly at the centre of Mourinho’s defence.

In fact, Jones has been so brilliant to this point, that he was labelled England’s best defender by national team boss Gareth Southgate a month ago.

Having missed United’s UEFA Champions League encounter with Russian side CSKA Moscow last Wednesday evening, Phil Jones was labelled a major doubt for his club’s English Premier League clash with Crystal Palace at the weekend.

He managed to play the 90 minutes without trouble, though the 25-year-old’s injury worries seem to have caught up with on Monday.

According to a report on the English FA’s official website, both Phil Jones and Manchester City midfield maestro Fabian Delph have been sent back to their respective sides, following a scan.

His injury has left extra room in Gareth Southgate’s team, with Tottenham Hotspurs midfielder Harry Winks a beneficiary from the duo’s absences.

Winks is expected to join up with the rest of the squad tonight ahead of travelling to the City of London tomorrow.

The Three Lions are prepared to take on Slovenia at the Wembley Stadium on Thursday, before flying to Lithuania for the second of their FIFA World Cup qualifiers on Sunday, having already qualified for next year’s summer World Cup.