Phil Jones looked like he’d never been away with touches of genuine class and one or two heart stopping moments

IN late January 2020 scientists in Wuhan were growing increasingly concerned about a virus that was spreading through their city.

It was also around then when Phil Jones last featured in a first-team game for Manchester United.

Much has happened to the world since those uncertain days – but Jones' career came to a complete standstill.

The former England defender scored on his last appearance – a 6-1 FA Cup win at Tranmere – a few days short of two years ago.

In the past 700 days, he has had to battle back from a couple of devastating knee injuries which would have broken many players.

And this was the night Jones has fought for during all the long weeks and months of physical and mental torture since.

The 29-year-old – yes, he isn’t even 30 yet – was given the warmest of welcomes from the Old Trafford faithful who chanted his name from the moment the team sheets were handed in.

And he did enough on his return to suggest that if he can stay clear of injury – and that’s a big ‘if’ - he still has plenty to offer at the top level.

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Whether that will be here with United remains to be seen – the club has spent huge money on centre backs in recent summers.

It was almost as though he had never been away – a classic Jones performance. Touches of genuine class coupled with one or two heart stopping moments. It wouldn’t be Jones without them.

It was his headed clearance that dropped to Joao Moutinho to score what proved to be the winner eight minutes from time – but the Portuguese was given the freedom of the park to pick his spot.

And there he was in stoppage time, sticking his head in where it hurts to win a dangerous free-kick which came to nothing in the end.

Due to injuries to Harry Maguire and Eric Bailly – and with Victor Lindelof out with Covid – Ralf Rangnick turned to the former Blackburn man alongside Raphael Varane.

This was the partnership Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to put together in 2011.

He managed to beat off Liverpool to sign Jones but missed out to Real Madrid in the pursuit of the Frenchman.

So it was fitting that the legendary former boss – who turned 80 at the weekend – was in the stands to see them finally play together.

In his early days at Old Trafford, Fergie once claimed Jones could go on to become United’s greatest ever player.

Some fans even compared him to Busby Babe Duncan Edwards.

But injuries have wrecked his time with the Red Devils – 14 of them at the last count. Just 196 starts in more than 10 years at the club tells its own story.

Coming back after just three appearances with the second string meant he could have been rusty – yet he settled in quickly.

He made an early header out from Francisco Trincao cross then cleared a Nelson Semedo cross as Daniel Podence was set to pounce.

Then he got his toe in ahead of Trincao just as the on loan Barcelona man was about to pull the trigger.

It was an impressive first half from Jones – no wonder he refused to give up his number four shirt when Varane signed in the summer.

In the second half, he was part of a back three with Luke Shaw and they kept Raul Jiminez and Co under control until the final 10 minutes.

Jones – who has 27 England caps - might be disappointed with his header out from Adama Traore’s cross which allowed Moutinho to grab the winner.

But Rangnick will be more concerned that nobody closed the Portuguese midfielder down.

After everything he has been through nobody would have begrudged Jones a clean sheet on his return. Sadly for him it wasn’t to be.

Even so, there was only one name on the lips of the Stretford End faithful as the team trudged off at the end.

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