Football: Twitter apologises for mocking Manchester United’s Phil Jones

Social media giant Twitter has issued an apology after breaking its own guidelines by targeting a football star with online abuse.

Phil Jones copped a drive-by.

Manchester United defender Phil Jones has received an apology from Twitter after its official UK account mocked the England international.

The verified Twitter UK account took a swipe at the much-maligned Jones on Tuesday, posting: “Name a better footballer than Phil Jones”.

Twitter UK later deleted this post.

The incident came after the social media network had previously said “being the target of online abuse is not easy to deal with” on a dedicated help centre page about coping and reporting abuse.

United are understood to have complained to Twitter about the subsequently deleted post, with the social network apologising to both club and player.

Jones has endured a difficult season and missed out on a place in United’s squad for the current Europa League campaign with an ankle injury.

He last featured for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team in January’s FA Cup fourth round win at Tranmere, netting the fourth goal in a 6-0 romp.

Phil Jones and coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. (Photo by PAU BARRENA / AFP)

— AFP