Curtis Jones will start at right-back in the Merseyside derby, Arne Slot has confirmed, after he left Conor Bradley out and Jarell Quansah on the bench.
Jones has replaced Quansah in Slot’s only change from the Carabao Cup final, having been discussed as an option for the vacant right-back role.
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With Bradley not yet fully fit and both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez injured, the head coach has opted for a natural midfielder on the defensive flank.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of kickoff on Wednesday night, Slot said: “[The Goodison derby] was a game where both teams hardly had any chances.
“We have to do better with the ball, and if the ball is in play, we have to do better – that’s what we’re trying.
“That’s one of the reasons why I chose Curtis at full-back.”
Jones’ right-back experience
Jones has started at right-back before, captaining the side for a 3-1 victory over Leicester in the Carabao Cup last season, while he was briefly used in the role in substitute outings against Arsenal and Brighton in 2020.
The Scouser earned praise from Jurgen Klopp for his efforts in that first start at right-back, the then-manager saying: “The way he executed it was super special, I have to say. Wow. Super smart.”
“Curtis was always in my mind as a potential solution there, because he’s really football smart,” Klopp added at the time.
“That’s how it is. He enjoys being on the ball and the deeper you are, the more often you can get the ball.
“It was a top performance, I have to say, for the first time in a, for him, strange position. He did it really well.”
Why Alisson is not in the squad
The biggest surprise in Slot’s starting lineup came with Caoimhin Kelleher deployed between the sticks and Alisson left out entirely.
It comes with Alisson not risked after concerns over a late concussion test on Tuesday, with the head coach explaining in his interview with Sky Sports.
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“We as a club follow the protocol and he had to tick all the boxes,” Slot explained.
“Yesterday, he didn’t tick the last box.
“We have Kelleher who has shown this season that he is maybe too good to be Ali’s backup.”
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