After an ineffective first half against West Ham, Curtis Jones stepped up as a game-changer for Liverpool in their 5-1 victory after a switch of position.
Jones was one of nine players brought into the side for the Carabao Cup third-round tie at Anfield, with the Reds unsurprisingly struggling for fluency early on.
But after Diogo Jota cancelled out Jarell Quansah‘s own goal to ensure the two sides went into half-time at 1-1, Arne Slot was able to oversee a major shift in fortunes.
Four goals came in the second half with no reply from West Ham, with Jones laying on Jota’s second of the night with a brilliant run and through ball.
Speaking to LFCTV after the game, Jones revealed that he had told the head coach at the break that Liverpool had “no space” in midfield.
“At half-time I was saying there’s no space, they set up with a mid block where it was hard for the centre-mids to play and stuff,” the No. 17 explained.
“But in the second half it opened up more, I was able to get more space and we were playing through more, and that’s where the goals came from.”
That came with Jones switching roles, with Slot trusting Wataru Endo to shore things up as the deepest midfielder.
“I was playing more as a No. 8 in the first half and in the second half I played more as a No. 10,” Jones said.
“I think that’s kind of gone in the game now, but I was higher up.
“I’m more comfortable around there, I feel more free. Then I showed I can play around the box. I had a load of shots which I didn’t score, but eventually it will come.”
On his assist, Jones laughed: “I was nearly nicked on the ball actually, just lucky!
“But yeah, it’s a thing the gaffer and the staff have said about me, when I pick up the ball I’ve got to run more. It’s a strength of mine.
“So that’s what I tried, I picked it up again, slipped in Jota and knew he was going to score, so I already had a smile on my face once it went through his legs.”
After picking up a muscle injury in training at the start of the season, Jones was left to make do with back-to-back cameos against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.
But he was brought into the side against West Ham as one of five players making their first starts of the season.
"And that's why he always scores!" ?
Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones react to Liverpool's 5-1 Carabao Cup win over West Ham ? pic.twitter.com/HzrgfAi2Mk
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 25, 2024
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, the midfielder reflected on a tough start to the campaign with optimism.
“I’m just a lad who always wants to play,” he said.
“It’s been hard, I’ve had an injury and stuff, but now I’m back and I’m playing games with a smile on my face.”
With Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai all among Slot’s five most-used players so far this season, having Jones back fit and settled is a huge boost.
As Liverpool’s busy fixture list continues the Scouser can be expected to be among those regularly rotated into the side, and on Wednesday night’s evidence there will be no issues if he is.
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