The nights are drawing in. The curtains are twitching, the wind is howling. Manchester United are in Kazakhstan for one of those Thursday-night assignments, courtesy of the Europa League, when it can seem like all the real fun is being had elsewhere. And it feels like the time has come.



We need to talk about Phil Jones.



We also need to try to keep it sensible when there is such a stampede to bury and lampoon Jones these days it tends to be overlooked that no footballer gets to play more than 200 times for Manchester United, as well as winning England caps under four different managers, if he is a complete dud.



Jones is on course to clock up his 10th anniversary at Old Trafford the summer after next and, ordinarily, that would mean a testimonial season. He has already played more games for United than Jaap Stam or Paul McGrath, two players who would feature prominently in any list of the club’s greatest centre-halves. Jones is the team’s...