The midfielder overcame a poor performance last week to shine for Liverpool last night
Liverpool returned to winning ways with a 6-1 thrashing of Leeds United at Elland Road to secure a crucial three points.
Jurgen Klopp’s side hadn’t won in the Premier League since early March, when they defeated Manchester United with seven goals, and they were desperate for another victory that would boost their European credentials.
The German stuck with the same lineup that drew 2-2 with Arsenal last week, and it paid off, with the front three of Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo, and Mohamed Salah all scoring, while late substitute Darwin Nez also scored in a resounding display of attacking prowess.
The Reds dominated possession throughout the game, having the ball 74% of the time and making their seven shots on goal count.
Jota, who hadn’t scored in over a year, finally broke through with a double, and he finished with the team’s highest Sofascore rating of 8.5/10.
The Portuguese forward took five shots, contributed three goals, and made one key pass in a lively performance and timely return to form at a crucial point in the season.
But it was Curtis Jones, not him or the other two attackers, who stood out the most.
Curtis Jones’ performance against Leeds United.
What a difference a week can make. Last week against the Gunners, Jones was statistically one of the team’s worst performers, trailing only Virgil van Dijk; tonight, he was among their best.
Jones’ Sofascore rating of 7.9 was the best in the Liverpool starting XI last night, aside from the front three and Trent Alexander-Arnold, as he grabbed an assist, took 85 touches, and completed 89% of his attempted passes, demonstrating a significant improvement over last week.
The Englishman added an attacking dimension to Liverpool’s attack, making two key passes and completing all four of his dribble attempts, demonstrating his ability to contribute going forward when needed.
The £15k-per-week earner justified his selection in the starting XI by also making five tackles, one clearance, and winning 11 duels, as his defensive ability was key in allowing the Anfield side to secure a crucial three points, and his performance was praised by journalist Josh Bunting, who said:
Leave a Reply