Curtis Jones does not need to advertise the ability he possesses, but Jordan Henderson has made sure that his fellow midfielder has his time in the spotlight.
For the first time this season, Jones has started four matches in succession after a troublesome year managing an injury medical staff have “never seen before.”
As a result, the 22-year-old has had to manage his time on the training pitch so as to not see the stress response injury flare up.
It is no surprise then that he could not force Klopp’s hand when selecting his XI, but he has had no such issues in the last four matches having played 310 of the last 360 minutes.
It has seen him come in for praise, with Henderson the latest to ensure he shone a spotlight on the academy graduate when writing in his programme note on Saturday.
“Everyone who has played with Curtis or watched him develop from a young player to a first-team pro will not need me to tell them about his ability,” Henderson said of Jones.
“He is a big talent who is capable of achieving so much and it is great to see him doing as well as he has of late.
“As everyone knows, Curtis has had more than his fair share of injury problems this season and when that happens, particularly at a young age, it costs you opportunity, rhythm and form.
“Hopefully Curtis has overcome these challenges now and can maintain the form which has earned him a lot of deserved plaudits.”
Assuming the left-sided No. 8 role, Jones has kept Thiago out of the starting lineup since the Spaniard returned to fitness.
He has Gini Wijnaldum-esque qualities and while he can be ponderous on the ball on occasion, he has displayed increased maturity and discipline in his play.
After a troublesome season, it is a welcome sight to see Jones start to make up for lost time and ensure he ends the season on a high to take the confidence into pre-season.
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