Curtis Jones Shows Improved Performance For Liverpool After Becoming A Father

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Arne Slot attributes Curtis Jones' recent impressive form for Liverpool to his newfound fatherhood. The 23-year-old midfielder has been pivotal for the Reds, earning a call-up from Lee Carsley for England's upcoming Nations League matches. Jones excelled in Liverpool's 4-0 Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen, providing a brilliant assist for Luis Diaz's goal in the 61st minute.

Jones has been competing with Dominik Szoboszlai for a starting position in Liverpool's midfield. During the match at Anfield, he created three chances, sharing this achievement with Ryan Gravenberch. Slot remarked, "With Curtis he became a fighter and I had nothing to do with that. Since the moment he became a father [last month], he started putting great performances in."

Slot further noted that Jones' performances dipped slightly but have significantly improved since becoming a father. He believes this change might be linked to personal life changes but also credits the team's overall performance for individual success. "It might have a bit to do with that, but I think it is more to do with how the team plays," Slot added.

In Liverpool's last six matches across all competitions, Jones has started four times and contributed one goal and three assists. Despite these achievements, Slot has challenged him to maintain consistency in his performances. "He has a lot of qualities on the ball," Slot said, highlighting Jones' confidence and work ethic.

The manager praised Jones' defensive reliability and high work-rate, noting his performance against Cole Palmer as an example. However, Slot emphasised the need for Jones to consistently deliver strong performances every few days if he wants to continue progressing.

Liverpool's Strong Season Start

Liverpool's season began strongly with their midweek triumph over Leverkusen, placing them at the top of both Premier League and Champions League standings. Their league win against Brighton marked Slot as only the fifth manager to win eight of his first ten Premier League games.

Slot joins John Gregory (1998), Guus Hiddink (2009), Carlo Ancelotti (2009), and Ange Postecoglou (2023) in achieving this feat. Among them, only Postecoglou did not win his eleventh match. This weekend presents a challenge as Aston Villa visits Merseyside.

The Dutch manager expressed no surprise at Liverpool's successful start, attributing it to team quality and effort. "I don't think surprise is the right word," Slot stated. He acknowledged some luck but insisted most results were deserved due to players' dedication and energy.