After Phil Jones’ Man Utd controversy, we go inside the mind of player sat in stands

Better just hope you're not on camera.

Phil Jones

Wayne Bridge has given an insight into what players sat in the stands after really thinking – after footage was unmasked of a possible Manchester United bust-up.

When video surfaced on social media over the weekend which appeared to show chief executive Ed Woodward rollicking Phil Jones in the stands, it was the perfect excuse to twist them.

It has been suggested that Jones mouthed ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ in a dig at his under-fire boss, prompting an angry response from a typically glum-looking Woodward.

On reflection, that seems unlikely as Woodward was probably talking to head of communications Karen Shotbolt.

However, former Chelsea and Manchester City defender Bridge claims players will often talk out of turn if they are out of favour and admits he did it himself during his own playing days.

“Back then you could get away with anything,” he told the Liquid Football podcast, which is produced by JOE in partnership with Paddy Power.

“You could swear at the ref, you could swear at anyone and get away with any little bit of abuse. Now there are literally professional lip readers looking at them 24/7.

“If I’m on the bench, I want to get on and I’m not hoping anything goes wrong.

“But, if you’re in the stand and you’re out of favour, I don’t care what anyone says… if you’re going to get back in the team, the only way is if they play bad.

“I’ve had it with [Jose] Mourinho where I’m totally out of favour and the only chance of me getting back in the team is by getting my head down, training and then hoping whoever is in front of me doesn’t play well.

“I had a scenario with him when I started playing again while really out of favour. He put his arm around me and said, ‘you’re doing really well, you’re going to play next week, just keep going’.

“Sadly, that came to an end because I had an injury. But for me if there’s a couple of you sat there in the stands out of favour, you might start taking the mickey out of people and saying ‘did you see what he did there?’

“It happens, people do take the mick but I don’t think you ever sit in the stand and hope they lose.”

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