Jones Dejected By Defeat

Phil Jones is as disappointed with the defeat to Blackburn as he was when being part of the Rovers team demolished 7-1 in the corresponding fixture last season.

However, the centre-back insists the champions will bounce back from the major disappointment by looking to win at Newcastle on Wednesday.

United missed the chance to usurp Manchester City at the top of the table and Jones was clearly dejected afterwards, feeling the champions have nobody to blame but themselves.

"Gutted pretty much sums that day up," he told MUTV. "And on his [Sir Alex's] birthday too. We weren't at the races today and we punished ourselves in the first half. We were too slow, too laboured and not quick enough. We're just generally disappointed."

When asked why the Reds started so lethargically, he replied: "I don't know. You'll have to ask everyone how they thought they felt but, from my point of view, probably everybody's point of view, we should have kicked on from there but we'll pick ourselves up and go again on Wednesday night.

"The injuries don't help but it's no excuse. We weren't good enough, nowhere near good enough. We've just got to kick on from here and get back to winning ways."

Jones admitted he felt coming back to 2-2 so quickly after falling two goals behind, thanks to a Dimitar Berbatov brace, may not have helped United's cause in the long run.

"I think that was our downfall," he reasoned. "Coming back too soon. I think we thought we'd won it.

"We got one back, got two back and probably thought we'd won it. We eased off and they punished us. I knew it'd be a tough game - they came here and full credit to them. They thoroughly deserved the win as we weren't at the races today.

"I feel worse now than I did last season when Blackburn were smashed 7-1 by United. That puts into perspective how disappointed I am. So we've got to pick ourselves up. It won't be easy but the Manchester United way is to pick ourselves up and go again on Wednesday night, looking for those three points."