Curtis Jones must be handed a place in Liverpool’s starting XI against Brentford even if Ryan Gravenberch is fit to play.
Jones filled in for the injured Dutchman on Wednesday evening as he produced one of the best performances from a Liverpool player this season.
His energy in the middle of the park, coupled with his defensive contributions and his impressive passing range, all combined into an impeccable performance by the Englishman against Eintracht Frankfurt.
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Jones was played outside of his usual position for Liverpool and, to be honest, he thrived.
However, since Gravenberch is one of the Premier League’s best defensive midfielders, it doesn’t feel like the midfielder will keep his place for long.
Ryan Gravenberch wipes his face during Galatasaray game
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
That is, even if he puts in another performance like he did on Wednesday.
Arne Slot chose to play Curtis Jones deeper for Liverpool, and it worked brilliantly
Everyone knows how much talent Jones has, with former Red Phil Thompson even dubbing him “fantastic.”
However, due to how much talent Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Florian Wirtz all have, he’s hardly had a chance to prove his worth.
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That is, despite Slot saying that Jones has had an increased amount of game time under him.
The Dutchman purposefully played the Englishman deeper on Wednesday so that he could pick up on any loose balls and be the main link between the defence and the midfield.
Although the Liverpool academy graduate has often been seen as an attack-minded player, it’s now evident that he can be used as a defensive player too.
Gravenberch may be fit for the game against Brentford, but it doesn’t feel worth the risk, especially with the talent Jones has in his locker.
Curtis Jones’ performance during Liverpool v Frankfurt in numbers
Statistics are often the best way to judge whether or not a player has put in a good performance.
Of course, there are also many other times when the stats haven’t shown the full story.
In Jones’ case, however, not only do they prove how much ground he covered, but they also show how good a performance he actually put in against Frankfurt on Wednesday.
As per Sofascore, Jones played the full 90 minutes; he had 139 touches of the ball, and he even maintained a pass accuracy of 96 per cent.
None of those passes were key, but the fact that only five out of 127 veered away from their intended target is massively impressive.
Despite being involved in the entirety of the game, he only lost possession of the ball 10 times, but he did manage to get fouled twice.
Curtis Jones of Liverpool looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD3 match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Liverpool FC at Frankfurt Stadion
Photo by Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images
Defensively, he was also solid as he recovered the ball twice, won 57 per cent of his ground duels, and he was only dribbled past once.
Not only do these stats show how good a game the Englishman had against Frankfurt, but they also outline why Slot cannot bench him against Brentford, no matter what.