Curtis Jones has seen his campaign disrupted by ongoing injury problems, with the midfielder only making the Liverpool squad on 15 occasions.
It is a season in which the 22-year-old has started just two games, coming off the bench a further nine times and going unused in four fixtures.
The other 17 games have seen him watch on, unable to take part, while he even featured for the under-21s in January, playing 45 minutes in a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham.
Having been involved in 92 games over the previous two campaigns, making it onto the pitch for 61 of those, it is a harsh reality check for Jones.
It has long been known that the academy graduate suffered a stress injury in his right tibia before the start of the season, with further setbacks in September and December.
But the club have now explained, as part of their Walk On e-magazine, that specialists have advised Jones to “reduce the amount he trains and plays to hopefully resolve the issue.”
That gives an insight into the persistent struggle facing Liverpool’s No. 17 and how the recovery from many injuries is not linear.
Jones has, however, made the matchday squad for six of the Reds’ seven games since the turn of the year, with the hope now being that he is over the worst of his fitness problems and can begin to contribute regularly again.
It is easily forgotten how valuable a player he can be in either the midfield or out wide on the left, though there is no denying these setbacks have hampered his progress.
In an interview with Walk On, Jones admitted that he has been left to revise his aims for the campaign after previously setting goal and assist targets.
“For me personally, at the beginning of the season I was talking about goals and assists,” he said.
“Now I’m at the point where I want to stay fit, I want to play as many games as I can and I want to impact the team as much as I can.
“If I can be involved in all the games, or if I can at least be fit to be available for all the games, then that’s the first thing.
“But I’d also like to get goals and assists. I just want to be the best that I can be.”
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