Phil Jones will not be fazed by any Diego Costa antics in Alicante
Thursday 12 November 2015 08:57, UK
Phil Jones insists he will not be provoked by Diego Costa if he comes up against the Spain and Chelsea forward on Friday.
Costa has gained a reputation thanks to his on-field antics in the Premier League since his arrival at Chelsea last year.
Arsenal defender Gabriel was sent off after clashing with the Brazil-born striker and last weekend Costa tried - and failed - to get a reaction from Ryan Shawcross in Chelsea's defeat to Stoke.
Jones admits that in his younger days he may have been drawn into a on-field scrap, but not any more.
He said: "I have had (players trying to wind me up) before and I will deal with it in my own way if I play. When I was younger and growing up even in training if someone stuck one on me, even by accident, I would go after them.
"But now I am more experienced. I am not going to go around kicking players. I am going to stick to my own game if I get the chance to play. I think it is just a progressive thing.
"I started playing at Blackburn at a young age so as I got moved on to Manchester United, the more games you play, the more understanding and awareness you have of the situation you are in.
"This is football. You have to be mentally strong and prepared going into the game and I don't think that will be something that we will be focusing on to a great extent."
Jones is looking to make up for lost time, having been diagnosed with thrombosis in one of his calves after returning from United's pre-season tour of the United States.
"It was probably the most frustrating time of my career," said Jones, who did not start a league game until October 17 because of the blood clot.
"It is difficult knowing you can train with the squad but you can't play because you can't take any chance of having a kick on it or a bang on it.
"I don't think it was as dangerous as was made out, but it could have been. And that was the reason why I wasn't able to play. It is difficult, but I am over it now and just looking forward to the games ahead."
Jones thinks more will be known about England's Euro 2016 chances after Friday's game, and the friendly against France at Wembley four days later.
"We are under no illusions that we have to be at our best to beat the teams that will be put in front of us in the Euros, but these are good tests for us against Spain and France in the next week or so and we will see where we are after that," he said.
