Curtis Jones was on song for Liverpool on Wednesday night as Jurgen Klopp watched his side demolish West Ham United 5-1 to reach the League Cup semi-finals.
When you are handed a chance to start, you want those players to grab that opportunity with both hands and Curtis Jones did just that, especially with the Arsenal game on Saturday.
Harry Redknapp is certainly a big fan of the Liverpool academy product and how he is someone who could ‘walk into any team’, as he told Sky Sports Football (20/12/23 at 10:10 pm).
Scoring a brace is probably enough for Curtis Jones to start at the weekend because it’s going to be hard to shift him out of the XI now – Jamie Carragher doesn’t expect Darwin Nunez to start.
That is going to be the key area of battle, especially with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal boasting one of the best players in the Premier League in that area, Declan Rice.
Liverpool’s past two opponents – Manchester United and West Ham – have sat in their shape and frustrated their opponents.
It’s fair to say that Arsenal won’t be doing that, which will allow Curtis Jones more of a chance to roam forward and score goals.
Curtis Jones to start v Arsenal?
“It’s going to be hard to shift him out of the team for the weekend, on that performance,” said Redknapp.
“That’s what you want from your team. You make changes and you hope the lads who come in. David (Moyes) hasn’t had that with West Ham. He has made some changes and there were really few performances.
“Whereas (Klopp) will go home tonight. Arsenal Saturday, two or three of them who got a place tonight might just keep their place. Interesting now for the weekend. Great options.
“He could go and walk into any team in the Premier League, couldn’t he?! Go and play regularly. But he obviously wants to play there and win his place at Liverpool. It looks to me that it’s only a matter of time before he gets a regular birth at Liverpool. Looks too good not to play.”
Liverpool v Arsenal
Last season, this was the game that started the downfall of Arsenal as they collapsed and blew a big lead at the top of the table.
Now, they visit Merseyside a lot earlier and it’s not going to affect them in that way. But it’s still going to test them.
This will be a great example to see where Arsenal are at and how much they have learnt from that game.
The same for Liverpool, who were nowhere near it last season, but now they can stick their chest out and prove to their critics that they can win the title this season.
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