Curtis Jones has admitted he has felt “outshined” at times but thinks Arne Slot has brought a “fresh start” for him at Liverpool.
After a strong pre-season, Curtis Jones picked up a muscle injury that kept him out of Liverpool’s first few games of the campaign.
Since, though, he has worked his way back into the starting XI and produced some brilliant performances as both an advanced midfielder and box-to-box player under Slot.
Speaking to TNT Sports, the 23-year-old said: “I just knew I just needed a chance and a good run of games and just to feel the love from like the staff around me.
“This season has been the one where you know there’s been a big change. I just seen it as a fresh start.”
Over the summer, Jones explained how he felt Slot’s style of play suited his attributes better than perhaps Jurgen Klopp‘s system had.
Asked what Slot has brought that maybe wasn’t there before, Jones added: “I feel that he appreciates me as a player and the stuff that I do.
“He came in and now, you know the way the game is and everybody is judged off how many goals and assists that they have, and I felt a little bit hard done by at times when I played really, really good but I’d been outshined by lads that had scored goals.
“That’s just the way it is. You know, you’ve got Mo (Salah) who can anytime he wants go and score two and things like that. So there’s been times where I’ve actually had it out with Mo being like, ‘I’m better than you!'”
Jones was talking with tongue in cheek but made his point and joked that Salah usually responds by saying, ‘I got the goals!’
The No. 17 has scored three times and set up five in 25 appearances so far this season. While these are totals he would still like to improve on, Jones still feels appreciated by his new coach.
Jones continued: “The thing is now with Slot and his staff is he knows lads who are good with the ball.
“He knows the likes of how much we do off the ball as well, so I think he appreciates me as an overall player I’d say.”
Not a slight on Jurgen Klopp
In the summer, Jones said similar about feeling more comfortable in Slot’s side. His words, similar to those most recent quotes, were misconstrued as a criticism of his former manager, Klopp.
The Scouser doesn’t intend to come across this way.
During pre-season, he told The Redmen TV: “The principles are always the same; we want to work hard, press, and dominate teams.
“That’s what I think came across a little bit wrong, [which is why] I’d like to say on this now, I’ve seen things that it seemed like I was disrespectful in a way.
“But Jurgen knows I’d never be that kid. He knows how much I love him, that I love all of his staff, but it was just me saying that how I’m going to play now is a little bit of a change.
“He gave me the platform and belief in myself to know that I’m a kid who can step up as well, I’m not just a kid who’s a squad lad, I can really be counted on as well.
“I don’t want to take anything away from him. I wanted to get that across as well.”
On Boxing Day, Jones also revealed that he had received a congratulatory text message from Klopp after making his 100th Premier League appearance in a 3-1 win over Leicester.
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