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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has heaped praise on English midfielder Curtis Jones for his performances for the Reds this season. The 20-year-old played a key role in Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on Thursday. Curtis Jones rose through the youth ranks at Liverpool before being promoted to the club's first team during the 2018-19 campaign.
The midfielder became a key member of the Reds' squad last season, making 34 appearances and scoring four goals in all competitions for the club. Jones had a promising start to the 2021-22 campaign but saw his progress at Anfield hampered due to an eye injury.
After missing eleven games in all competitions for Liverpool, Curtis Jones made his comeback from injury against Chelsea on 2 January .
He played 90 minutes during the team's 3-0 victory over Brentford last weekend and played 82 minutes against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup in midweek. Jones was one of the Reds' standout players against the Gunners, which has resulted in him receiving high praise from Jurgen Klopp.
"Look, with a football game, a difficult one, you can only win if a lot of players perform really well, and yes Curtis was really good. "I've known him for a long time and I'm one of his biggest fans," said Klopp in a post-match press conference via BBC Sport.
"From the first day when I saw him, when the talent group trained at Melwood on a side pitch, I looked out of my office and I saw him there, 'Wow', the next question was 'How old was he?'. He was 15 at the time and it was already clear he was a massive talent," he added.
Curtis Jones has made fourteen appearances in all competitions for the club this season and has scored one goal. The youngster is currently ahead of the likes of Naby Keita and Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain in the pecking order at Liverpool and is seen by many fans and pundits as the future of the club.
Liverpool can still apply pressure on Manchester City if they manage to maintain consistency
The Reds' 3-0 victory over Brentford last weekend took the Reds to within eleven points of Premier League leaders Manchester City, with a game in hand over Pep Guardiola's side.
Jurgen Klopp's side have won just two of their last five games in the Premier League. Their victory over an in-form Arsenal side in the Carabao Cup, despite the absence of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, indicated that the club have the strength, depth and quality to return to form in the coming weeks.
The Reds will face a tricky test against Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace side on Sunday at Selhurst Park in the Premier League. The Merseyside club will need to claim victory over the Eagles if they are to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title.
