Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are set to be Manchester United’s central defensive pairing for the FA Cup final showdown against Chelsea on Saturday, as per ESPN.
The selection of the England duo would continue the inability of Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof – Jose Mourinho’s two big-money defensive acquisitions – to earn a regular spot.
What’s the story, then?
Jones and Smalling nullified England team-mate Harry Kane in the semi-final of the competition last month and the report claims that performance has put them in the box seat to start again at Wembley.
It goes on to say that Jones would be pleased to end his recent record of missing finals; he was excluded when United beat Crystal Palace to clinch the FA Cup in 2016, missed last season’s EFL Cup final win against Southampton due to injury before being benched for the Europa League triumph over Ajax.
Bailly deserves the start
Neither Smalling or Jones have been as good this season as Eric Bailly has when he’s been fully fit.
The English pairing are still very nervous, not inspiring confidence that they will not contrive to make an error and that is far from ideal in a game of such magnitude that could come to define United’s season.
Even Victor Lindelof is a classier operator than Smalling and Jones; he had an error-strewn start to his United career but has cut the mistakes out in recent weeks.
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