Manchester United have struggled in recent years, but Phil Jones still thinks they are the biggest club in England - if not the world - for a number of reasons.
Phil Jones during his Man Utd days.
Phil Jones' current feelings about Man Utd are now clear.(Image: Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
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Former Manchester United defender Phil Jones still regards his old employers as England's biggest club - possibly even the biggest club in the world - despite their recent on-pitch difficulties. The Reds endured their worst ever Premier League season under Ruben Amorim last term, with the Portuguese head coach unable to find consistency after replacing Erik ten Hag, and haven't won the title since Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge.
That doesn't matter to Jones, though. The ex-England centre-back - who was part of that 2012/2013 title-winning side under Ferguson - argues that success on the field isn't the sole measure of the stature of a club.
United have secured some notable victories under Amorim, including their triumphs at Manchester City last season and then away to Liverpool on Sunday. Nevertheless, they find themselves languishing in mid-table and suffered an embarrassing early Carabao Cup elimination at Grimsby Town.
Manchester United players celebrate their Premier League title win in 2013
Phil Jones was part of United's last league title winning squad(Image: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
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Even prior to the latest triumph, however, Jones was keen to stress how big a club United still are. "People say... United's not the biggest club any more - it is," he told Stadium Astro when speaking pitch-side at Old Trafford as United beat Chelsea in the league.
"It is, unfortunately and you don't realise that, and people think 'How?' and 'Look where you are' and no, it doesn't work like that," he added.
"Man Utd is the biggest club and the only other club that's comparable to Man Utd is Real Madrid. The only other club that's comparable. And I don't mean to sound biased... that's just how it is, that's just facts."
United defender Harry Maguire celebrating his winning goal at Liverpool.
United defender Harry Maguire celebrating his winning goal at Liverpool.
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In the dugout, Amorim was facing mounting pressure following a disappointing haul of seven points from his opening six matches to kick-off his first full season. However, fortunes have taken a turn for the better recently, with victories over Sunderland and Liverpool in consecutive fixtures.
This marks the first occasion the club have managed back-to-back league triumphs since the conclusion of the 2023/2024 campaign. Harry Maguire proved to be the hero at Anfield, netting a vital late strike after Cody Gakpo had levelled things up for Liverpool in the second half.
"It is really important for me that is back-to-back, it doesn't matter about the opponent it is just the feeling of winning. The important thing is to think three in the row and that's the focus," Amorim told BBC Sport after the latest win.
Ruben Amorim with Matthijs de Ligt during United's win over Liverpool.
Ruben Amorim with Matthijs de Ligt during United's win over Liverpool.
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"Sometimes we struggle to choose the right time [when] to press. We didn't start well after the equaliser, but we controlled the momentum and pushing them to their half when they had the ball is important and that's where we won the game."
With United failing to qualify for European competition this term and with their Carabao Cup campaign ending early, the league is the only focus until the new year and Saturday offers a chance to make it three consecutive league victories for the first time since February 2024.
Amorim's men return to Old Trafford to welcome Brighton - nine months after a Seagulls triumph which led the boss to suggest his United squad could be the poorest in the club's history.