Curtis Jones stood out for Liverpool as they were victorious in Milan.placeholder image
Curtis Jones stood out for Liverpool as they were victorious in Milan. | AFP via Getty Images
This Liverpool star stepped up his game during Tuesday night’s Champions League victory
Liverpool were given a major boost on Tuesday night as last season’s Champions League finalists Inter Milan were beaten 1-0 at the San Siro, courtesy of a late Dominik Szoboszlai penalty and a solid Reds display across the park.
The night saw a clear improvement in the defensive display produced by Arne Slot’s side, as they limited the Italian giants to an xG of just 0.44 and were well worth leaving with all three points in the end.
The Reds came into the match in questionable circumstances, as controversy surrounding Mohamed Salah continued to rage off the pitch. The Egyptian was left out of the squad entirely following his emotional outburst after the champions’ 3-3 draw away at Leeds United on Saturday evening, while Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike were given a rare opportunity to start together but continued to falter in their early attempts to strike up a relationship on the pitch.
Liverpool had stand-out players elsewhere on the night, though, and one man in particular stepped up and laid down his claim for a starting berth in the upcoming fixtures.
Curtis Jones was a stand-out performer for Liverpool on Tuesday
Curtis Jones has been at Liverpool since the age of nine and despite a series of set-backs during his Reds career, the 24-year-old continues to step forward for his boyhood club and was a key component of the victory at Inter on Tuesday.
The midfielder has made just four Premier League starts this season but has been given a more regular place in the XI in Europe and shone as part of a new-look diamond formation by Slot away at the Serie A giants, producing arguably one of the finest performances of his career to date.
Given a rating of 7.4 by FotMob for the match in addition to a 7 by LiverpoolWorld, Jones put in a solid shift across all facets of his game and his contribution did not go unnoticed. Playing all 90 minutes, Jones completed the most passes on the pitch with 67 and had a passing accuracy of 96%. With 81 touches, six passes into the final third, four ball recoveries and one shot on target, Jones was able to dictate play in midfield while contributing to the Reds’ attacking play as they searched for a winner.
Jones may feel that he has not been given the opportunities he would have liked so far this season, but he has proven time and again his ability to step up for his club when it matters.
‘Sensational’ Jones should keep starting place vs Brighton
Following his stand-out performance in Milan, Jones should be given the opportunity to start for the Reds at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. With the Salah controversy likely to continue and Cody Gakpo out injured, Slot may opt to continue with the diamond formation used on Tuesday – a formation which appeared to perfectly suit Jones.
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock said of Jones’ performance on BBC Radio 5 Live in midweek: “Curtis Jones was absolutely sensational tonight. I thought it was a real mature performance and he actually grew up tonight. I know that sounds really daft because he's already 24, but it was one of the most mature performances from him tonight.”
Regardless of formation, Jones has earnt the opportunity to make one of Liverpool’s midfield positions his own in the league, with Slot needing to utilise his squad well as we enter the busy festive period. Whether he opts to try out his new 4-1-2-1-2 formation for the Seagulls’ visit to Anfield this weekend will make for interesting viewing.
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