Jurgen Klopp has explained his decision to name Curtis Jones as Liverpool captain against Union SG in the Europa League tonight.
The German tactician has named an extremely youthful side for the clash in Brussels with Wataru Endo the only player included in the starting XI over the age of 25.
The longest serving player on the pitch for the Reds is Academy graduate Jones, who made his Liverpool debut in January of 2019, and Klopp (via @DaveOCKOP on X) has explained that’s why he’s donning the armband this evening.
Klopp on naming Curtis Jones as captain:
"He's the eldest of the youngest..he's the longest at the club. He can be a real role model for the kids." (TNT)
— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) December 14, 2023
Having won four of their five group games so far Liverpool have already secured top spot in Group E and will be competing in the knockout stages in 2024.
The result may not matter too much this evening but it’s a brilliant opportunity for a number of Reds youngsters including the likes of Kaide Gordon, Conor Bradley and Luke Chambers to show what they’re made of.
The likes of Harvey Elliott and Cody Gakpo will also be looking to perform strongly as they try to break into Klopp’s starting XI with some big games on the horizon.
Let’s hope Jones can captain the Reds to another victory ahead of Sunday’s huge clash against Manchester United at Anfield.
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