Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones are both relishing new roles in Jurgen Klopp‘s Liverpool setup, with the midfielder having “stepped up.”
The Reds fought off a hapless Leicester on Monday night, with two Scousers from the academy making the difference in a 3-0 victory.
Jones scored twice in four first-half minutes, before a stunning Alexander-Arnold strike clinched the three points midway through the second half.
It comes in a revival for the pair with tweaked roles in Klopp’s new 3-5-2 system – Alexander-Arnold moving into midfield and Jones a mainstay as the advanced left winger.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Alexander-Arnold praised his team-mate’s upturn in form.
“For sure [he’s stepping up], for sure,” the No. 66 said.
“It’s not just been tonight, I think since he came into the team again.
“He’s a lad who obviously would have wanted to play more throughout the whole season, but he’s stepped up when he’s got his chance and I think that’s all you can do.
“I think he’s shown his quality on and off the ball. He’s definitely impressed everyone.
“I think he sets standards for himself, we need to keep that as a team, and himself, he’s got a level now that he needs to hit every game.
“Today was an outstanding night for him and helped the team win the game.”
While Alexander-Arnold is often spoken of as the main beneficiary of Klopp’s shift in setup, the revival of Jones – who has started the last nine games after only starting twice before this season – cannot be overlooked.
“We’re blessed enough to have players who can score goals,” Alexander-Arnold continued.
“He’s a midfielder who scores goals, creates goals and he arrives in those positions.
“I think especially with the system we’re playing, that’s what we need.
“We want to overload the defence, we want to have a kind of a five-and-five buildup, with a three and a two [in attack] and then we have five in the back line, to create as many problems as we can.
“That’s the responsibility we give to people in the team and he’s a player who arrives in those areas and can finish on both feet as well.”
Jones joined Alexander-Arnold for post-match duties, and the 22-year-old agreed that the right-back’s more advanced role has been key to his own improvement.
“Definitely,” he said.
“It allows me to stay high, then I score more goals and assist more.
“Having him there as a player who is calm on the ball, he builds up well and he plays forward a lot, it allows me to stay in between the lines.
“So yeah, it’s working well. I hope it continues.”
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