Phil Jones is a doubt for England’s upcoming World Cup qualifying double-header with an ankle injury.

The Three Lions prepare face Malta away on Friday night, then host Slovakia at Wembley three days later.

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho claimed defender Jones was feeling his ankle after playing in the win over Leicester — and said he would be his ideal centre-half if he could just stay fit.

“He’s potentially a very good player, he’s still young and at a learning age,” he said of the 25-year-old. But for years, he was injury-prone.

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“And now he’s complaining about a 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.

“If we manage to protect him from injuries, he is everything I like in a central defender.”