Jones is the Reds' PAST master

AFTER 200TH GAME, CURTIS REFLECTS ON STEVIE INFLUENCE AND HOW HE'S PASSING IT ON TO THE NEW BREED

- By PAUL GORST

WHETHER it has been through design or more organically, Curtis Jones has taken on a greater role of prominence for Arne Slot’s Liverpool this season.

After starring on Tuesday night as the Reds put aside a difficult few days by beating Inter 1-0 in the own backyard of the San Siro, Jones then brought up his 200th appearance for his boyhood club in the 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon.

For a player to have reached that milestone in an era where both Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot have been able to guide teams to Premier League titles in 2020 and 2025, that is quite the achievement for a homegrown midfielder, who will no doubt be vying for a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad next summer.

Next month will mark seven years since Jones's first senior appearance for the Reds, which came in an FA Cup defeat at Wolves when Klopp made a number of changes for the third-round tie at Molineux.

In the days since, Jones has gone from Academy hopeful, to young squad player through to the role he now occupies as an important cog in the midfield machine under Slot.