Liverpool are currently hoping that all of their 15 players out on senior international duty return to the club fit and healthy.
The Reds have seen a big number of players depart to play for their countries this November.
When the Liverpool squad reconvenes back on Merseyside next week, though, it will be fascinating to see what plans Arne Slot has for his starting XI.
Liverpool play Southampton a week on Sunday and will be desperate to keep up their momentum in the Premier League.
It already seems likely that Slot will drop Alexis Mac Allister, for example, after the 25-year-old gets back from an energy-sapping journey with Argentina.
But while we think Mac Allister will be dropped for Curtis Jones, pundit Darren Bent has suggested that another Liverpool midfielder will be at long-term risk following Jones’ brilliant run of form.
Darren Bent backs Curtis Jones for Liverpool spot
Jones topped off an excellent month or so on Thursday as he scored a lovely flicked finish on his England debut.
The goal has thrust the Liverpool academy graduate into the wider football consciousness for perhaps the first real time.
With Jones now firmly part of the conversation for England, then, Bent was asked whether he should be a nailed on starter for Liverpool as well.
“I would say so,” answered the former striker. “I really like Curtis Jones, always have done. It was just can he now nail down a spot.
READ MORE: Micah Richards explains why Curtis Jones’ England debut was ‘one of the best he’s ever seen‘
“They’ve got Endo and Szoboszlai but he [Szoboszlai] hasn’t quite had the same impact. The injuries have not really helped him. But, no, I think Curtis Jones, 100 per cent.
“He’s comfortable in possession, he can play the eight, can play the 10, I think he’s got great technique,” adds Bent. “It was just can he get a run of games in this Liverpool side so we can start to see the best of him. And I think now we are starting to see the best of him. He obviously scored a really good goal for England, that will give him confidence as well.
“If you get an opportunity in this Liverpool side, or any side, you have to take it. For Curtis Jones, he’s got himself in there, stayed in there, put in some really top performances, so the shirt is now his to lose I think.”
Dominik Szoboszlai set for spell on the bench?
Despite what Jones has been showing recently, we’re not completely sure we agree with Bent here.
Curtis has been doing phenomenally well, there’s little question of that. But, in our opinion, Slot sees the Scouser as being one of his options in the deeper-lying midfield positions, not further up the pitch.
He has rotated a little with Szoboszlai recently, but that’s only really because Harvey Elliott is still injured. Slot has described Szoboszlai’s mentality as being ‘important‘ and we believe that the Liverpool head coach still sees his No.8 as a starter.
If, say, Slot had to pick a team to play in a Champions League final right now, we honestly believe that he would go with his favoured three of Ryan Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai.
Jones is certainly the first reserve and has shown that he is capable of being more than that. At this point, though, all three of his positional rivals have still shown more consistency over a longer period.
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