The 23-year-old delivered yet another assured performance in the centre of the pitch on Wednesday night to help Liverpool defeat Chelsea 4-1 at Anfield in the Premier League.
Receiving trust and guidance from Jürgen Klopp the moment he stepped into the senior squad as a teenager, Jones is now glad to be repaying the manager’s faith with consistent high-quality displays.
“It’s the most I’m enjoying it, I’d say,” the No.17 told TNT Sports. “I came around the team when I was 17, 18 and it hasn’t been easy. It’s been up and down for the whole time, I’d say – I had the injuries and stuff.
“It’s been the first time when I’ve come in the team and I’m enjoying it, I’m playing free, I’m scoring goals and helping the team. So, I’m happy.
“I came around the team when I was 17 and it wasn’t an easy thing, but he [Klopp] was calling me in all the time and we were having chats. He was always saying, ‘Your time will come.’
“I’m at the point now where my time has come and I’m taking my chance.
“The defending part of things, I was a young kid who came around the team and the only thing in my head was to score. I came in, just had that buzz, I just want to score, I just want to assist. Then you come on the main stage and it was half a shock.
“I had to adapt my game a lot. That’s what I’ve done now and funnily enough he’s coming out and saying that if I can defend then anybody can! Because that was never ever a thing in my mind. But I’m doing it now, I’m happy that I’m playing games.
“The defending part of my game has improved a lot, I’m starting to score goals again, I’m helping the team. I’m enjoying it.”
Jones played 83 minutes of the victory over Chelsea which saw contributions from Diogo Jota, Conor Bradley, Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz in front of goal.
The result maintained Liverpool’s five-point lead at the top of the Premier League, as well as the feel-good factor around the team.
“It was very close [to a complete performance],” Jones assessed. “We knew it was going to be a hard game. They’re a good team, they’ve found their form, their individuals in the team can cause all sorts, goals and assists. We stopped that and then we won 4-1. So overall, a good performance.
“I don’t want to talk too far ahead – there are still plenty of games to go – but we’re in a good place.
“The team has got this buzz about us. It’s a new team, it’s a young team, it’s a fresh team. Of course there’s been a change in terms of how we play and the lads that have come in.
“Normally it takes a bit of time to adapt but the lads have just adapted quickly, they’ve come in, played their part.
“It’s one of them now where if he [Klopp] changes lads for the Carabao Cup or the FA Cup, the lads that are coming into the team are doing their job.
“It’s now at the point where the whole of the team has got this buzz. It’s just not individuals, like Mo [Salah] scoring all the goals. The likes of me are going to help, Dom’s going to help, Conor, as you’ve seen there, is going to help, Trent [Alexander-Arnold] as always. It’s passing through the whole of the team.
“There’s a good buzz but we’ll see at the end of the season.”
2024-02-01 09:01:36
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