Jones: We Put The Record Straight

Phil Jones has hailed a battling United display in the Reds’ comeback win away at Sunderland.

The home side belied their status at the foot of the Barclays Premier League table to take the lead after only five minutes through Craig Gardner, but two well-taken goals from Adnan Januzaj, who was starting a league match for the first time, gave United all three points.

“Everyone dug in today, it was a great performance and a massive three points,” Jones declared to MUTV. “We were put on the back foot right from the first minute, and perhaps we didn’t get out of the traps as well as we should have done.

"They were fired up, and perhaps we didn’t expect it quite as much as we should have in the first 10 minutes, but once we got to grips with the game I thought we played some terrific stuff.

“That was the sign of champions out there. When your backs are against the wall and everyone’s raising questions, a performance like that puts the record straight.”

Jones was full of praise for Januzaj following the young Belgian’s outstanding performance, which won him the Man of the Match award from United fans on ManUtd.com and the club’s official Twitter account @ManUtd.

“He’s a massive talent and he’s got a lot of ability,” he added. “If Gareth Bale scores one like the second goal, everyone’s raving about it. He’s a bubbly lad and a fantastic footballer, but he’s a level-headed guy as well. He knows what he has got to do, he has to keep his head down and if he keeps playing like that he is going to hit the heights.”

Key to the turnaround in the Reds’ fortunes at the Stadium of Light was a brilliant one-handed save by David De Gea to deny Emanuele Giaccherini in the first half, a moment acknowledged by the grateful and impressed England international.

“It was a terrific save, and one of the reasons why we got three points today. It was out of the blue, and a great reaction save from David.”