On such duties, Jones' energy and reading of the game shine through. As a central midfielder or right-back, his power and bravery elevate him. In the centre of defence, his own preferred role, there is a breathless joy to watching him maraud forward, in the same vein as Jaap Stam used to plough down the centre of the field, opponents clinging to him like Lilliputians to Gulliver. Now a key player for club and country, the question remains: what is the best use of Phil Jones?
"People keep going on that he needs to find a position," says United's first team coach Phil Neville, himself a versatile operator in a variety of defensive and midfield roles during his playing career. "I don't worry about that because eventually he will find his position."
"People forget how young he is. If he's a centre-back, centre-backs don't peak until they're 27, 28 or 29. Look back on Rio, who has been one of the very best centre-backs. Early in his career he played in a three, sometimes as a sweeper, the odd game in midfield, and then when he got to 26 he was a centre back and he was one of the best centre backs. That's what it's going to be like for Phil."
"He's going to be great in midfield in some games, great at centre-back in some games, but what he has got is the physical capacity to play in every position on the pitch, so that's a massive strength and he shouldn't worry about nailing down a position. I've seen him play for England in midfield, at right back and at centre-back and he could be the best in that position in the country, so he just needs to keep progressing the way he's doing."
Phil Neville lo deja claro.