Phil Jones has said Manchester United have added incentive to win the FA Cup because it would set up a Community Shield clash with Manchester City and give them the chance to put down an early marker ahead of next season.
“It’s another good reason why we need to do that,” Jones said. “We’ve been involved in a lot of Community Shield games and that’s one we relish and we like facing tough opposition as well.”
Jones said winning the FA Cup this weekend would provide a boost ahead of next season and insists United are not as far behind City as some might think.
“It will be our last game of the season,” Jones said. “If you win that, you finish on a positive note and you go into the next season feeling confident and ready to go and ready to battle again for the title next season. I really don’t think we’re far away.
“In another season we might have been challenging. Sometimes you’ve got to hold your hands up and say Man City have done ever so well to win the league this year, take nothing away from them. They’ve competed well in every game and won games where you’re thinking they probably would have drawn.”
United face Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday having beaten each of their top six rivals in the last three months of the season.
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