Curtis Jones has noticed something about Alexis Mac Allister he’s ‘never seen before’ at Liverpool

Curtis Jones has explained how he’s learning from Liverpool’s summer midfield reinforcements.

The midfielder is in line to make his first outing in three weeks when the Reds face Toulouse in the Europa League on Thursday night. Jones has missed the past two Premier League games after receiving a red card in Liverpool’s 2-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur last month.

However, the academy product has been a key player in Jurgen Klopp’s side since April. He featured in each of the final 12 matches of last season to help Liverpool secure a fifth-place finish. And despite four new midfielders arriving in the summer transfer window, Jones’ berth in the engine room has remained intact when available.

Alexis Mac Allister, who many thought would oust Jones from his number-eight role, has been deployed as a defensive midfielder while Dominik Szboszlai has impressed in a more advanced role.

And Jones, speaking to the media before the Toulouse game, revealed that he’s picked up traits from the duo - and believes he can also teach them a thing or two. He said: “If you speak about the lads who have come in, Mac Allister, the way he protects the ball, I’ve never seen before. The way he receives the ball and he does this thing where sticks his bum out and you can’t take the ball from him. Just his experience, he knows when he’s going to get pressed and which way he moves.

“Dom, you have all seen the goals he’s scored. He’s got an unbelievable shot with both feet. I’m learning a lot from them and they could probably say the same about me. Again, it’s the whole of the team, I learn from all the lads, I’m just that type. I came in the team when I was young and there have been lads around who have played 500-plus games. I’ll take bits of their game and use their bits and see how it works.”

Jones was dismissed in the defeat at Tottenham for a foul on Yves Bissouma. He was initially given a yellow card before VAR intervened to overturn the decision.

With the international break also halting the season, it means Jones has had a significant period with action - which has been difficult.

Jones said: “It has been tough. I was at a point where I was playing games and doing well and a small mistake like that stops the run of games. But that’s in the past now, I’ve moved on.

“Do I have any complaints about the red card? Yes and no. In terms of the tackle itself and how I saw it, I was unfortunate. But then I saw what the referee was shown, he was only shown a clip of where my foot was on his ( leg, so it’s understandable at the same time.”