Steve McManaman says Curtis Jones needs to start scoring and assisting goals regularly for Liverpool to take their game to the “next level”.Jones recently scored twice in a 5-1 draw with West Ham United in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals at Anfield.
The second goal of the game, in particular, recalled the menacing personality of the 22-year-old Jones during his time at Liverpool’s academy, where he made a name for himself as a scoring midfielder.That performance earned the youngster a Premier League start against Arsenal on Saturday night. The challenge now for Jones is to produce consistent performances for the team after injuries have often halted his progress. Sharing his thoughts on the Liverpool-born star’s legacy and how Jones has room to grow as a player, McManaman told the ECHO:
“I liked the way he played against West Ham United.”It was like that when he was an under-18 and under-21 player. And he reached the goals and took people to become the most creative. If you see it playing at that first team, I want to remind you and see more than you. “When he made his first move, he probably tried to play it a bit safe and you reduce your chances in the game. Liverpool always play with three strikers, so there will always be people who think he should be up front. . Jump I know Curtis very well. If you push forward with that confidence, you rarely give the ball away. When it comes to midfield, everyone talks about scoring and passing.
This will take you to the next level. “When I was at the academy, my older brother came and we talked a lot. I wouldn’t say I gave him advice or helped him, but I attended a lot of his youth games. “I talk to him sometimes and I’m so happy for him.”As a local boy who grew up in Kirkdale and went on to make 364 first-team appearances for Liverpool, McManaman knows what it feels like to have the weight of the city on his shoulders when he was introduced to the club.
Knowing how to handle the pressure that comes with added responsibility is no easy task, but McManaman doesn’t think Jones is lacking in that department.The 51-year-old said: “If he knows Curtis and his personality, he won’t feel pressured.” “It still looks for every day because it has a big shoulder. It is always very reliable and changes between 16 or 17.
