'The performance we've been waiting for' - how Jones capped his perfect week
What a week it has been for Curtis Jones, to score a winning goal at Anfield a few days after becoming a dad.
It is the sort of thing he will have dreamed about the night before the game, and he did his new daughter proud with his whole performance against Chelsea, because it really was that complete.
Liverpool's entire midfield played well in Sunday’s 2-1 win but Jones was the star of the show and I am really pleased for him. He is a local lad who has had a few injury problems and has had to be patient to get his chance.
Jones' goal against Chelsea was his first in the Premier League since 1 January, when he scored against Newcastle. He has never scored more than three league goals in a single season, or managed more than two assists
His ability has never been in question, because technically he has always been very good and someone who is comfortable receiving the ball in tight areas. As well as that, he has always worked very hard without it too.
In that way, Jones is very much the modern midfielder, but the only things that have been missing up until now are goals and assists.
His low numbers for both are sometimes used against him, especially after the way he arrived on the scene as an 18-year-old with a stunning winner against Everton in the FA Cup in 2020.
So, I was delighted to see him getting forward so much against Chelsea and, as well as his goal, he got in some wonderful positions to win both penalties - the one which was given, and the one that was overturned.
He was in the Chelsea area a lot, and I’d put that down to a mixture of things - obviously the manager has given him the freedom to do it, but he also has the confidence and belief in himself to make those runs, and the physical fitness to keep doing it.
Jones did not neglect his defensive duties either, but I think most people who have seen him come through the ranks at Liverpool have been waiting for this kind of level from him, on the attacking side of things.
We always knew he was capable from the glimpses he has shown in the past, but this was the day when it all came together. He must be on cloud nine.
Jones touched the ball four times in the Chelsea box - Mohamed Salah, with five, was the only Liverpool player who had more.
'How can you leave him out? You can't'
I watch Liverpool a lot and I cannot think of a game where Jones has played better.
He has given Arne Slot a real problem, but it is one the Liverpool manager will welcome with the amount of huge games his side have coming up.
Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai have been Slot’s midfield trio in the biggest games so far this season but Liverpool's fixture schedule, including important Champions League matches, is pretty much non-stop for the next few weeks.
Liverpool's upcoming fixtures start with three straight away games - RB Leipzig in the Champions League, Arsenal in the Premier League and Brighton in the Carabao Cup
It makes your job a lot easier as a coach when you don't really know who to pick. There will be a lot of Liverpool fans saying Jones has got to start next weekend against Arsenal.
How do you leave him out at the Emirates after the way he played on Sunday? You can't, and hopefully this is just the start of so much more to come from him - especially in front of goal.