Manchester United defender Phil Jones has credited Jose Mourinho with giving him back his confidence and convincing him that he had a future at Old Trafford, while criticising former manager Louis van Gaal for not doing the same.

Jones joined United from Blackburn Rovers in 2011, with Sir Alex Ferguson famously tipping the £16.5m signing to develop into one of United’s greatest ever players. But the defender struggled to make an impact on his successor, Louis van Gaal, leading Jones to question his future at the club.

"For whatever reason he [Van Gaal] thought I needed to be fitter," Jones told the Manchester Evening News.

"I had no problem with that, I just played the games. I did what I could do to get back in the team and unfortunately it didn't really work out under him.

“I was on the bench at Wembley in the FA Cup final and during the last two months of the final season of Van Gaal last year I was fit and playing. I was just made to play reserve games.

"No question there were thoughts about my future. It was in the back of my mind. If you are not playing games, that speaks volumes."

However, the summer arrival of Jose Mourinho saw an upturn in Jones’s fortunes. Mourinho brought Jones back into the fold November, and the 24-year old has been a first-team regular ever since.

Jones said that he already considers Mourinho to be among the finest three managers he has ever played for, along with former Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce, and United legend Sir Alex Ferguson.

“I feel there have been only three managers who have every truly believed in me and understood me as a player,” Jones added.

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“That's not being critical of other managers but the only three were Sam Allardyce, Sir Alex Ferguson and now Jose Mourinho.

“They have all given me belief and confidence. I am not one who needs to be patted on the back every single day and told I am brilliant. Some players need that, I don't. But those three certainly gave me confidence.

“Jose, for instance, this season has just given me so much confidence in training. You make a mistake and it is just a case of 'so what, get on with it'.