After the pair clashed over the captain's armband in New York earlier this week, Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones dealt with the situation much more quietly against Leeds on Sunday
Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones were involved in drama earlier this week but seemed amicable on Sunday
Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones were involved in drama earlier this week but seemed amicable on Sunday(Image: X @LewisSteele_)
Dominik Szoboszlai gave the captain’s armband to Curtis Jones in Liverpool’s preseason loss to Leeds after the pair clashed in New York.
On Sunday, Liverpool fell 4-2 to Leeds in Chicago. The Reds led 2-0 at halftime thanks to goals from Luke Chambers and Florian Wirtz, but Leeds stormed back as Brenden Aaronson, Sean Longstaff, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored two goals.
It was a disappointing second-half showing from Andoni Iraola’s team, but at least there was no incident between Liverpool’s midfield duo. Earlier this week, the Reds clinched victory over Wrexham at Yankee Stadium — but headlines were struck when Jones and Szoboszlai clashed.
On Wednesday, Jones was spotted pointing and gesticulating with the Hungarian midfielder and Kostas Tsimikas, as he appeared frustrated at several points. The footage later shows Jeremie Frimpong coming in to settle the discussion, as he looked to calm Jones's frustration, who continued to show his annoyance.
In the end, the Liverpool duo stepped away from the situation, settling the animated talk on the pitch as the players cooled down from their latest preseason test.
It is unclear what caused the exchange, although during the match, Szoboszlai gave his captain's armband to Tsimikas rather than Jones when he was subbed off. During the argument, Tsimikas was seen throwing the armband onto the floor.
However, against Leeds, there was no such drama.
When Szoboszlai was substituted off in the second half, he walked over to Jones and handed him the captain’s armband.
For Liverpool fans, this is a welcome relief after the post-match scenes in the Bronx. When asked about the incident by BBC Sport, Szoboszlai said: “Now that a couple of guys have left and maybe we are not the oldest in the team, but we've been here a long time, we are all in the same boat, and we want the best for the club and for each other.
“We have a captain in Virgil [van Dijk] and we will follow him everywhere with what he and the gaffer says and I think I can talk from everybody's side that we want to be successful this season. It's a long-term [project] because, obviously, we have a new manager and the team has changed.
“Maybe not in a couple of months, but in the long term, I think it will work out.”
For Szoboszlai, the coming season will be a test of whether he can continue providing those huge moments for the Reds that he delivered through a difficult campaign last time out. After signing a new contract, the midfield maestro is viewed as a long-term option and has been tipped to become captain in the future.
Meanwhile, Jones’ future is up in the air. The 25-year-old has one year left on his current deal at Anfield, and earlier this month, Iraola stressed he wanted Jones to stay at the club.
“I rate Curtis very highly,” he said. “For me, he is a great, great player, and I hope he can continue with us and continue performing the way he has been performing.”