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Man United boss Jose Mourinho: England shouldn't have played Jones

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has spoken of his frustration after losing defender Phil Jones to injury during the international break.

Jones limped off with a thigh problem during England's goalless draw with Germany at Wembley last week.

Mourinho questioned Gareth Southgate's decision to play the 25-year-old, who was already carrying the injury.

Jones is a doubt for Newcastle's visit to Old Trafford on Saturday, and Mourinho is not confident he will be able to play.

The United manager told the Daily Mirror: "I don't think it is possible for a player with a problem to play in a friendly. Of course, Phil Jones had a problem.

"He was having a problem for three weeks, he's having problems that are stopping him to play for his club and then he plays for his club in extreme conditions because it's a big match against Chelsea.

"And then he goes to the national team and he comes home with an ongoing injury that everyone knows is an ongoing injury."

While Jones made himself available for England, Tottenham's Harry Kane, Harry Winks and Dele Alli and Manchester City pair Raheem Sterling and Fabian Delph all ruled themselves out.

Mourinho added: "You have always some clubs where their players, they always have something.

"It could be a fingernail, he has a little flu, he has a problem with the little toe, and they withdraw, and they stay with their clubs and they have their holidays and they have their rest.

"Then there are always the clubs where the mangers are naive, too pure and they say you have to go and they go and sometimes they pay the price and they pay the price.

"I want to see this next weekend if the players that were not going to the national team, I want to see if they are going to play.

"[Danny] Drinkwater? Delph? The only one that is not playing is Phil Jones."

Mourinho did receive some good news on Wednesday when Marcos Rojo came through 45 minutes for the under-23s unscathed after seven months out injured.