Phil Jones becomes Manchester United corner taker - the internet reacts

The defender was given the duties during yesterday's match at Loftus Road

Simon Rice
Sunday 18 January 2015 17:07 GMT
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Phil Jones
Phil Jones

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Phil Jones appears to be Manchester United's new corner taker and understandably there's been some surprise at this development.

A duty usually reserved for those with dead-ball credentials, the likes of Angel Di Maria or Wayne Rooney for example, the decision to use a defender better known for putting his foot through it rather than curling it into the top corner seems strange.

Yet perhaps there is a logic to Jones taking corners, as he did during Manchester United's game against QPR.

Research shows that Manchester United are far from prolific when the ball comes swinging in from the direction of the corner flag. 199 corners this season have led to just three goals. A change was perhaps needed.

Also, whilst defenders are often the best targets in the box, Jones is not. Despite his height and physique, Jones has managed to score just two goals in 116 Premier League appearances.

Rooney or Di Maria, often used to take corner kicks, are also more likely to find the back of the net if they are in the mix.

Despite the sense to making Jones the Manchester United corner taker, that hasn't stopped the internet from expressing shock at the development.

Manchester United are next in action against Cambridge on Friday night.

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