‘I’ll play anywhere’: 21-year-old Liverpool midfielder claims he’s willing to start in defence if Klopp needs him to

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Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones has said he’s willing to play in defence if manager Jurgen Klopp needs him to.

That’s what the 21-year-old claimed in his post-match interview with LFCTV, after the Reds sealed a strong 2-0 win over group winners Napoli.

The youngster made his first Champions League start of the season last night, playing 73 minutes as a left winger.

This differs to what has become the norm for him in recent times, having most often been employed as a central midfielder – with the likes of Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota preferred on the flank.

But, speaking with LFCTV after the 2-0 win, Jones claimed he would play any position to help the team and Klopp out – even in defence.

“I’ll play anywhere, I’m one of them. If somebody had picked up a knock and I had to fill in at the back, I’d play there and wouldn’t complain,” he said.

“But since my academy days I’ve always been an attacking kid, I’ve said I like to score and create goals.

“Today I was back out there on the left in a position that I love and have played a lot. It was good.”

Jones says he’ll play any position for Klopp

Only returning from injury in recent weeks, Jones has been thrown straight back into the action for Liverpool.

After remaining on the bench for the Reds’ emphatic victory over Manchester City in the middle of October, the 21-year-old has featured in every single match since.

Despite this, it has been tricky for the player to secure his place in Klopp’s starting XI, as the manager usually has a couple of other wide options available ahead of the youngster.

Consequently, Jones has recently found the most opportunity as a central midfielder, with Liverpool lacking a number of attacking options in the middle of the park.

Without Thiago’s masterful passing, the Reds have looked stagnant in the midfield, with a glaring gap otherwise evident in the absence of the Spaniard’s creativity going forward.

Whilst Harvey Elliott offers a more naturally attacking option in the middle compared to the likes of Jordan Henderson and James Milner, the teenager can only play so many games in a season. Thus, Jones’ profile adds that much needed technical flair and direct dribbling to Liverpool’s midfield, allowing fluid link-up play between the middle and the attack.

Therefore, whilst the midfielder’s offer to play anywhere across the pitch is nice, it obviously remains an unrealistic proposition. However, with Jota and Diaz currently out of action, we may now see Jones employed in a variety of different positions across the attack and the midfield – with the Scouser hoping to make his mark in their absence.