Curtis Jones has been speaking about his ongoing role at right-back for Liverpool ahead of the Premier League clash at Aston Villa on Friday evening
Curtis Jones of Liverpool
Curtis Jones of Liverpool(Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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Curtis Jones believes he is good enough to be playing in Liverpool's central midfield - but is more than happy to continue answering the call as an emergency right-back.
Jones is expected to line up in the Reds' problem position for the fifth successive game at Aston Villa on Friday evening as Arne Slot's side aim for the victory that will secure Champions League qualification.
The versatile 25-year-old, who is approaching 250 appearances for Liverpool, has started games in a variety of positions this season but most regularly in midfield.
And the England international is adamant he is worthy of a place in the engine room despite the strong competition for places from Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz.
"I'm not shy where I have to go and play," said Jones. "I want to be in centre midfield, and I know that I'm good enough and I 'should' be playing there, but it's all about the team and that's what you have to put first.
"Although I'm a full-back now at the minute, I'm playing inside as well, so I'm still getting a chance to get in the box and a chance to go and score and assist and things like that.
"I wouldn't say that I'm a defender. I'm a full-back/centre-midfielder, you can say. I just enjoy playing. If I'm as a right-back, if I'm a centre-back, or if I'm a striker, I just want to go and play.
"I am fortunate enough to have a quality that I'm comfortable on the ball and I'm confident in my own abilities."
Jones has appeared in 47 out of 54 games for Liverpool so far this season, with his tally of 2,670 minutes the highest of his Reds career.
However, only 26 outings have been as a starter while his total of two strikes and three assists represents the second-lowest number of goal contributions in a single campaign since becoming a regular in 2020/21.
"It's been up and down and I think that's been the whole of the team," said Jones. "I've played a lot of games.
"Although I would like to play in centre midfield and have that spot as mine, I've got to appreciate the lads around me and their abilities as well.
"The stats there, I think they speak for themselves. There's been a number of times that I've been told that I stay on the ball a lot and things like that, but as everybody can see, I don't give the ball away at the same time.
"I think the important thing is to take that to the next step and try to score more and assist more."
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Villa, who are behind Liverpool in the table only on goal difference, are one of several clubs to have been linked with an interest in Jones, who is approaching the last 12 months of his contract at Anfield with no sign of an agreement at present.
The game has been switched from Sunday to help Unai Emery's side prepare for their Europa League final against Bundesliga side Freiburg in Istanbul next Wednesday.
And Jones said to liverpoolfc.com: "It's important that we don't get caught up in the atmosphere. They're going to come out and they're going to have all the energy but we just have to go and play our game.
"We have to stay calm. If I look around and see the lads in our team and the ability there, I've got all the trust in the lads and myself as well to get it over the line.
"It's always going to be a hard game against them. They're a very good team with their style of play, they like to play and they like to keep the ball. There are lads in the team who can go and hurt teams, so we're obviously aware of that."