Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho furious after England give Phil Jones six injections to play friendly

The United manager said in 17 years of management, he had never heard of a player receiving local anaesthetic in order to play a friendly

Jose Mourinho is unhappy with the way Gareth Southgate handled Phil Jones (Getty)

Jose Mourinho, the Manchester United manager, has angrily questioned England's decision to give injured defender Phil Jones six anaesthetic injections before last week's international friendly against Germany.

Jones aggravated a long-standing thigh injury during the goalless draw at Wembley and his club manager says he will play no part when Newcastle United visit Old Trafford for Saturday's evening Premier League kick-off.

Mourinho conducted a newspaper interview on Wednesday in which he expressed his frustration at the national team's use of Jones and described himself as “naive” in comparison to other coaches who withdraw players carrying injuries from international selection.

The United manager was no happier on Friday when he revealed that Jones received a total of six local anaesthetic injections in order to play. Five of those injections, according to Mourinho, were administered prior to kick-off after Jones had complained of some discomfort during the warm-up.

“Every player that was injured last week, I expect they are not playing,” he said when asked whether Jones could return for United on Saturday.

“If a player was injured Wednesday and a player is ready to play tomorrow, there is something going wrong. Phil Jones was injured Wednesday and obviously, he is injured for tomorrow. If any player is ready for tomorrow, there is something strange.

“For me, the more strange thing with Phil Jones is that in 17 years as a manager, I don't have one single player that had injections of anaesthetic to play a friendly. Never.”

An incredulous Mourinho continued: “I'm not an angel. I've had players injected to play official matches and crucial matches, but a friendly? To get six local anaesthetic injections to play a friendly? I never heard about it. Phil Jones had it and had before the match. After 50 minutes he was out and obviously tomorrow he is out.”

Mourinho said he had not spoken to England manager Gareth Southgate or anyone at the Football Association about his complaints as there is little he can do regarding the situation.

“I'm just telling a fact. He was injected in the afternoon of the match, he did not feel good during the warm-up. Between the warm-up and the start of the match he had five more local injections to play the friendly,” he added. “I have nothing more to say.”

Jones has played regularly under Mourinho this season as one of United's two first-choice centre-backs, but the 25-year-old has been carrying this current calf injury since limping off during the defeat at Huddersfield Town last month.