Manchester United star Phil Jones has been plagued by injuries

The Manchester United defender has had his tough times at Old Trafford, with injuries checking his progress during his six years at the club.

He has struggled to live up to former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s claim, made four years ago, that he could turn out to be the greatest player in the club’s history.

Jones, 25, has a long way to go to be placed on the same level as George Best, Denis Law, Sir Bobby Charlton and Duncan Edwards.

But United boss Mourinho has no doubt about the centre-back’s qualities. The only problem was that, in helping keep Jamie Vardy quiet as United grounded down Leicester, Jones picked up yet another injury.

“He’s potentially a very good player,” Mourinho said. “He’s still young. He’s still at a learning age. But for years and years and years, he was injury prone.

“He has a problem now. He is complaining about an ankle problem.

“So he’s the kind of player where we need to have him always in our hands, with a lot of care from the medical department, from the fitness coach, from my assistants in the gym, working always on prevention, on recovery.

“If we manage to have him safe and protected from injuries, I think potentially, he’s everything I like in a central defender.”

Jones has never managed to play more than 11 games in a row for United, and has only done that twice since arriving from Blackburn in 2011.

He has not helped his cause by getting himself banned for their Champions League opener against Basel next month for swearing at a UEFA doping official during May’s Europa League final.

But he is playing a central role in a United side who are top of the Premier League with maximum points, having scored 10 and conceded none.

After 4-0 wins over West Ham and Swansea, this was hard work for Mourinho’s men – with Kasper Schmeichel making it more awkward as he saved Romelu Lukaku’s penalty early in the second half.

It was a special moment for Schmeichel, especially as his dad Peter, the Manchester United goalkeeping great, never saved a penalty at Old Trafford.

Leicester’s keeper ended up on the losing side, though, as substitutes Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini scored in the final 20 minutes.

The Foxes have shown enough in defeats at Arsenal and United to suggest they can compete with the top Premier League sides this season.

The worry for manager Craig Shakespeare is that Riyad Mahrez, Danny Drinkwater and Islam Slimani could all be gone by the time they return from the international break to face Chelsea.

Antonio Conte wants to take midfielder Drinkwater to Stamford Bridge, Monaco are keen on striker Slimani and Mahrez has made no secret that he wants to leave, regardless of whether Roma rekindle their interest.

“It’s difficult to say what will happen because I’m not sure what other clubs will do,” Shakespeare admitted.

At least Shakespeare has Harry Maguire, signed from Hull in June and called into the England squad for the first time on Thursday.

Maguire was impressive alongside Wes Morgan in the centre of Leicester’s overworked defence – doing plenty to frustrate Lukaku.

“I hope he goes from strength to strength,” Shakespeare said. “He’s been a terrific signing for us. He’s a good character for us, with his ability. I thought he was very solid against one of the best centre-forwards in the league in Lukaku.”

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): De Gea 7; Valencia 5, JONES 8, Bailly 8, Blind 5; Pogba 6, Matic 7; Mata 6 (Rashford 67, 8), Mkhitaryan 6 (Fellaini 74), Martial 6 (Lingard 76); Lukaku 5.

Subs: Romero, Darmian, Smalling, Herrera.

UP NEXT: Stoke (a), Premier League, Saturday September 9

LEICESTER (4-4-1-1): Schmeichel 7; Simpson 5, Morgan 7, MAGUIRE 8, Fuchs 6; Mahrez 7, Ndidi 7, James 7, Albrighton 7 (Gray 60, 6); Okazaki 6 (King 60, 7); Vardy 5 (Slimani 76).

Subs: Hamer, Chilwell, Amartey, Iheanacho.

UP NEXT: Chelsea (h), Premier League, Saturday September 9

Referee: Michael Oliver 7

Attendance: 75,021

STAR PLAYER: PHIL JONES – Commanding presence

STAR SHOCKER: DANNY SIMPSON – Penalty nightmare

MATCH RATING: 2