Phil Jones admits PlayStation and food binges were killing his Manchester United career

Phil Jones has made nine appearances for Manchester United this season, just seven fewer than he managed in the entirety of the previous campaign (Photo by John Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images)

Phil Jones has revealed ditching food binges and PlaysStation sessions __have helped resurrect his Manchester United career.

How Man Utd could've lined up if Moyes had got the players he'd been promised

The England international has endured a turbulent few years, with a steady stream of injuries preventing him from fulfilling the potential Sir Alex Ferguson had identified in him when he paid £17 million to Blackburn for his services in 2011.

A return to full fitness, however, has coincided in his longest unbroken run in the first team for nearly two years and the 24-year-old has played a prominent role in United’s defensive improvement in recent weeks.

Jones puts his progress down to a renewed application off the field and a more mature approach to his health and post-game recovery.

Jones credits Jose Mourinho with helping him revive his Manchester United career (Picture: Getty)

‘I think as I’ve got older I’ve become wiser to recovery and realised how important it is,’ he told United Review. ‘When I was younger you think you know it all and after games you probably just go for some food or sit on your PlayStation.

‘Now I take it a lot more seriously and recover properly because I know I need to give myself the best possible chance to be as fresh and as fit as I can for the next game.’

Despite the summer signing of Eric Bailly and impending arrival of Victor Lindelof, Jones is likely to remain a cornerstone of Jose Mourinho’s United rearguard, and the versatile defender admits he is thriving working alongside the former Chelsea boss.

More: Football

Thibaut Courtois issues response to Real Madrid transfer links

Barcelona beat Chelsea to sign £25.5m Portugal star - player to join in the summer

Kevin De Bruyne's agent sends major warning to Oscar after his £60m Chelsea exit

On the subject of working with Mourinho, Jones continues: ‘It’s brilliant. He’s shown a lot of confidence and belief in me and hopefully I’m repaying that. I’m not a player who needs telling every day in training ‘you’re brilliant, you’re this, you’re that’… but it’s always nice to hear comments from the manager and people around that you’re doing well.

‘I’m not under any illusions though, in this game you can be up there one minute and down the next, so I need to keep going game by game and keep improving.’