Defender Phil Jones says Manchester United are progressing as a team, but need to improve even further if they are to catch Manchester City next season, reports Sky Sports News.

Jose Mourinho's side will finish the Premier League season in second place behind their local rivals, with a 19-point gap currently separating the sides.

"We definitely feel like we're progressing. We've got a great squad with a lot of quality and we've got a mixture of youth and experience now. I really don't feel like we're a million miles away.

"I know there's a lot of speculation and people would disagree with that, but I see these lads every day in training and in games and I know the characters inside and out so I think we're heading in the right direction.

"It's not been the ideal season. We've not accumulated as many points as we'd like, we've dropped points we shouldn't have and it has ultimately led to the gap between us and Man City.

"There's no bitterness about it, they've done very well and they deserve to be champions. We've finished the next best in second place and we've got a final to look forward to as well.

"I think in times in games this season, we've been in winning positions and we've let leads slip or conceded sloppy goals in the last minute and ultimately that's what has cost us too many points.

"The gap between us and Man City is too big. It shouldn't be that way, and we need to rectify that next season.

"We need to make sure we pick up as many points as possible and this season, we've done that at times and played good football and then we've had our little dips.

"When we've had our dips, going back to the seasons when we've won the league, we've still managed to pick up the points but I think this season, we've not been able to do that. But I still think we're heading in the right direction and progressing as a team."