Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones has 'missed a golden opportunity' to establish himself as a first team starter this season, according to pundit Paddy Kenny.
Jones has made upwards of 70 appearances in all competitions so far throughout his Liverpool career, but has missed the start of the 2022/23 season due to a stress response of the bone. He returned to training briefly at the end of last month, but suffered a recurrence of the injury after two sessions.
With Thiago, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all missing parts of the campaign through injury, the first part of the season could have presented the perfect opportunity for the 21-year-old to nail down a place in the starting line-up. Former Leeds United goalkeeper and Ireland international Kenny highlighted Harvey Elliott 's progress this term as an example of what could have been for Jones if not for injury.
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“The latest injury is a devastating new blow for Curtis Jones,” he told Football Insider. “He will know that he could have missed a golden opportunity to establish himself.
“Liverpool have been decimated in midfield, with Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain out all season so far, Henderson out with a hamstring injury and Thiago only just back. But, after the international break, Klopp will not be short of options, and the new signing Arthur will be up to speed.
“Look how Elliott has established himself while all those senior stars have been injured. He has probably been Liverpool’s best midfielder this season."
Speaking earlier this month before the Napoli game, Jurgen Klopp addressed Jones' latest injury set back and described it as 'not very helpful. “Curtis, when he was out previously, had a stress reaction in a specific bone around the tibia,” he told reporters.
“It was absolutely fine, no problem anymore. Trained twice, felt it again. It’s not as bad as the first time, but it’s bad enough to not be involved in team training again, which is not very helpful.”
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