Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones will get another chance to shine as his side travel to Chelsea in the FA Cup. The Reds will be looking to bounce back from their first loss in the Premier League this season by advancing to the next round of the cup.
Curtis Jones Set to Start Against Chelsea in the FA Cup
Jones’ FA Cup
Many great Liverpool players have shone in an FA Cup final. There’s the famous Steven Gerrard final in 2006 or Michael Owen’s masterclass in 2001. And the way that Jones is going, he could be following a similar path due to his impressive displays in the competition this season.
Quite simply, the young man has been incredible. There was his wonder goal against Everton in the third round that stunned the world. In addition, he also opened the scoring against Shrewsbury in the following round.
The Scouser has really started to show his quality this season. His growing profile has even seen him make appearances in Liverpool’s marketing material. The latest being a cameo in a Chaokoh advertisement, and he has also caught the eye of a manager Jurgen Klopp.
“Unbelievable player,” said the German after Jones’ wonder goal in the FA Cup third round. “Scouser, Very confident. He can’t wait to play in the first team, and he will be a Liverpool player if nothing strange happens, 100 percent.”
But, Chelsea represents a whole different type of challenge for Jones. The Blues are one of the Premier League’s best teams and the game will be played at Stanford Bridge which guarantees a hostile atmosphere. They will also be seeking to bounce back after a couple of very poor results.
The Londoners were comfortably beaten by Bayern in the Champions League and could only muster a draw against relegation-threatened Bournemouth. Yet Gerrard and Owen made their name in situations like this. If Jones really wants to follow their footsteps, then this is his chance.
Return of the Injured
There was one common thread throughout Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat to Watford – every single player performed poorly. So, Klopp is most likely overjoyed that he has two regulars to call upon for this game – both Joe Gomez and James Milner can play after being injured.
Both have been hugely impressive this year. Gomez was missed against Watford as the Reds struggled to contain the pace and trickery of Hornets winger Ismaila Sarr. Gomez has excelled in those types of situations and this is proven by the statistics. With him playing the majority of the season, the Reds have the best defensive record in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Milner was missed for other reasons. The Englishman is a vocal leader and is an expert at criticizing his teammates at the right time while also never going overboard – a skill that was definitely missed against Watford.
With a key Champions League game approaching against Atletico Madrid, Klopp may use this game as the perfect opportunity to give these men some match fitness.
Bounce Back Opportunity
After being embarrassed at the weekend, Liverpool has a chance to bounce back. A win here would increase their chances of a potential double or even historical treble.
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