Curtis Jones has revealed how an instruction from Jurgen Klopp in one Carabao Cup match this season instigated a change which reaped dividends for the Liverpool midfielder.
The 22-year-old scored a sensational solo goal in the 5-1 win over West Ham in the quarter-finals, running 40 yards with the ball before sliding it past Alphonse Areola.
He was looking back on that moment with Cody Gakpo in a feature for ITV Sport, with the Dutchman even drawing parallels with Diego Maradona’s golden moment against England at the 1986 World Cup.
Jones outlined that, at half-time in that match against the Irons, Klopp told him to run with the ball more instead of continually seeking to pass it.
Liverpool’s number 17 said: “Do you know what, the manager always speaks to me about driving with the ball more, because that’s a strength of mine. I changed; I was passing too much.
“In that game I was getting loads of space. In the first half I went on a run but then I passed the ball when I actually had a chance to shoot. At half-time he said ‘If you get the ball again, just run with the ball.”
Klopp’s shrewd in-game management has been a recurring theme throughout the Reds’ excellent season so far, and this is another prime example of how he spotted a potential fix and took action to remedy it.
That goal is up there with the best that Jones has scored for Liverpool, and full credit to him for taking the manager’s instructions on board that night. The advice paid off, that’s for sure!
You can view Jones’ comments below (from 1:29), via ITV Sport on YouTube: