Moyes Backs Chris Smalling And Phil Jones

Manchester United manager David Moyes is backing Chris Smalling and Phil Jones to be England's first-choice centre-back pairing for many years to come.

Smalling and Jones started together at centre-back for the first time in three years in the Premier League against West Brom on Saturday.

United kept a clean sheet as they won 3-0 at The Hawthorns and Moyes is expected to give the two a chance to prove they can succeed Nemanja Vidic, who is off to Inter Milan, and Rio Ferdinand, who is out of contract at the end of the campaign.

"I think the future will probably be with Jones and Smalling as the two future England centre-backs," Moyes said.

"The two boys today could easily be the two centre-backs for England in the World Cup.

"They will certainly be competing with the other Manchester United centre-backs to start for this club.

"I've said I wanted to see how they do before the end of the season," the Scot said.

"I will be continuing to use Vidic and Rio and Jonny Evans. We know Vida (Vidic) is moving on so we have to take the chance to look at what the younger ones are capable of."