Liverpool boss Arne Slot has called Curtis Jones a ‘fighter’ following his England call-up this month.
Jones has been included in the England squad for this month’s Nations League games with Greece and the Republic of Ireland. After withdrawing from last month’s squad to attend the birth of his child, Jones is in line for an international debut this time around.
Slot believes becoming a father has brought out the best in Jones, who produced a brilliant assist in the 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday night.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of facing Aston Villa, Slot said Jones has become an important part of his team.
“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. He already did in the first few weeks of pre-season and I thought he was a quality player.
“His performances dropped a bit but from the moment he became a father he has been outstanding again. It might have a bit to do with that but I think it is more to do with how the team plays. As a result of that, individual performances are good as well.
“He has a lot of qualities on the ball, when he has it he’s never afraid to do something special. Sometimes he is a bit too over-confident but confidence is important. He also has an incredibly high work-rate and we can trust him defensively.
“You saw how he performed against Cole Palmer. If he wants to continue progressing he has to show every three days these performances.”
