1 hour ago
33
Whether by design or naturally, Curtis Jones has assumed a more prominent role in Arne Slot's Liverpool squad this season.
After shining on Tuesday night when the Reds overcame a challenging few days to defeat Inter 1-0 in their own backyard at the San Siro, Jones marked his 200th appearance for his childhood club with a 2-0 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon.
Achieving such a milestone in an era where both Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot have steered teams to Premier League titles in 2020 and 2025 respectively, is quite an accomplishment for a homegrown midfielder. No doubt, he'll be contending for a place in Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad next summer.
Next month will commemorate seven years since Jones's first senior outing for the Reds, which occurred in an FA Cup loss to Wolves when Klopp rotated his squad for the third-round tie at Molineux.
Since then, Jones has progressed from Academy hopeful to young squad member, and now plays a crucial role in Slot's midfield machinery. The transition hasn't been smooth or without its hurdles, but an in-form Jones has had a solid campaign so far, despite wider issues at Anfield.
As Jones reflected on his 200th appearance on Saturday during an interview with LFCTV, it was notable how he paid tribute to his heroes from the past whilst also considering what he can offer to future stars.
"Steven Gerrard has obviously been a huge part of my career and life," Jones said, speaking about his former academy manager who helped iron out some of the rough edges in his game during his teenage years. "I say life because he was probably the first man to really have a pop at me at the academy, and just changed me to think: 'Yeah, I'm not better than anybody else.'".
"It was a reality check in terms of the way I played and the role that he gave me. Steven would be the first to say that once I overcame a thing where I complicate things and thought I was the man because I had a [number] 10 on my back and things like that, I'd be the first man he'd pick on his team. That came with him.
"I'd always been a kid that was top of the age group and at times I'd become a little bit passive I'd say. Steven was the first one to give me a real check. Coming from a man like him, who played the game, who I idolised, I thought: 'I've got to change if it's him that's telling me'.
"From there he stuck with me and I stuck with him and we worked. A year after I'm around the first team and I'm stood here now on 200 games, so he's obviously a man that I'd like to thank as well."
Now 25 years old, Jones also spoke about how he has become a mentor to some of the younger players on the edges of the Reds squad, encouraging them to savour their early days at Anfield.
"It's mad," Jones said. "I actually had a chat with Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha was there as well. I just said, 'I know you will hear it all the time from staff and family around you, about how fast it goes. But my God, it goes so fast.'".
"If I think about my first game, Wolves away, and how fast the whole thing has changed. I can only thank the staff around me and the teammates around me who have always got the belief in me to keep me at the club and when I play, to trust that I can play in that many games.
"I can only thank my mum and the family around me, who have obviously played a huge part... the times when it was taxis into training and things like that. And the environment I was obviously around as a kid, a Scouse kid, it's quite easy to take another route.
"But I only had one goal in my mind: that was to play at this club. And that's what I'm doing so I've got a massive smile on my face. It's 200 down - and hopefully there's many, many more to come."
Yet, amongst all the guidance Jones has received regarding his elevated position in the Liverpool squad, it is a message from the legendary Gerrard that remains particularly significant for a player who has now started the last three matches under Slot.
"He needs to stay in this 11 now," Gerrard declared in 2023. "He needs to take the challenge on."
This challenge remains as relevant today for Jones as it ever was. Onwards to the next 200.
English (US) ·