BBC pundit warns Gareth Southgate against move which could upset 23-year-old Liverpool player

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In complete contrast to last season, it’s a little tough to pick Liverpool’s player of the season so far.

12 months ago, the only pick was Alisson Becker. Mohamed Salah roared back into it at the end, but Alisson was comfortably the Reds’ star performer in an otherwise disappointing campaign.

Fast forward to this season, and there are many other candidates besides. The goalie should still be in the conversation, but he’s perhaps been eclipsed by Salah this time. Darwin Nunez has been key to everything good Liverpool have done while Virgil van Dijk looks back to his best, too.

But according to journalist Rory Smith, none of these four get the nod. Speaking on BBC 5 Live’s The Monday Night Club last night, Smith claimed that Curtis Jones has actually been the Reds’ best player in 2023/24. The reporter simultaneously warned England boss Gareth Southgate from calling up in-form Manchester United youngster Kobbie Mainoo ahead of Jones.

“I have got to say as exciting a player as Mainoo looks, and he does look superb, he has kind of rescued Manchester United’s season,” Smith began. “But if you were to take him to the Euros and ignore Ruben Loftus Cheek, who is playing brilliantly for AC Milan and has six in 24 and looks like he has found his position in attacking midfield and the other one is Curtis Jones, who has been Liverpool’s best player this season.

“To put an 18-year-old kid in ahead of both of them, you are kind of damning players you might want to call upon later on, and you have to be careful with that kind of stuff.”

Southgate warned over Jones snub

You do have to feel for Jones right now. Having been subbed off with an injury against Brentford on Saturday, the 23-year-old looks set to be out for a little while.

After forcing his way into the Liverpool starting XI, Jones looked ready to finally start a cup final for his boyhood team.

But as it so often has for the Scouser, injury struck just when he was getting going.

Not only will the issue rule him out of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, but it could also harm his chances of an England call-up.

No, we don’t think Curtis has been Liverpool’s best player this season. Truth be told he’s not even close. But he does deserve to be in the frame for a first ever call-up from Southgate.

With the Euros just around the corner, we’d certainly argue that Jones has done enough to warrant the England boss taking a look at him.

Southgate may well feel the same, but with the next squad set to be announced sometime in mid-March, there’s a chance Curtis will still be injured. As a result, any hopes he may have of featuring at the Euros will surely be extinguished.

Southgate is a manager who tends to trust those he’s known in and around the squad for a long time. It seems unlikely that he’d dropped Jones in for a tournament having never been involved before.

If he does tear up his playbook and pick Mainoo though, Curt will have every right to be annoyed. Injury or no injury.