Liverpool youngster sent Klopp message after making Prem debut

Curtis Jones has been challenged to push on and prove himself after Jurgen Klopp explained his decision to hand the Academy product his Premier league debut over the weekend.

The 18-year-old midfielder has featured in the FA Cup earlier this year and has also appeared in the Carabao Cup, but was given his Premier League debut at the Vitality Stadium as the Reds eased to a 3-0 victory.

And with Klopp revealing he plans to chop and change his players around in December to help them navigate through a tough month, Jones was handed 15 minutes on the south coast, with James Milner switching to left-back to cover for Andy Robertson.

And Klopp was eager to point out that the introduction of Jones was purely pragmatic.

“It was his third time in the squad, so then I thought it makes sense to bring him on,” he said.

“But it was not a present, I have to say. It’s his development. We want to show respect for that and we appreciate that.

“Then you need a player and today we were without Adam [Lallana] and Gini [Wijnaldum] here. We thought we need a midfielder because we want to rest Robbo a little bit, so move Millie there. That’s then a good choice.

“He did really well, he did really well. It was nice to watch and he enjoyed the game. Obviously it was not the most difficult game and it will not be the most difficult game in his career, but it was really nice seeing him.

“There are two or three more in the moment which we still have in the backhand. If we have to use them then we will then use them early. If not, then we give them a bit more time to develop and use them later.”

Klopp, meanwhile, is reported to have regretted his decision to allow Harry Wilson to leave Anfield on loan this summer as the matches come thick and fast for Liverpool in December.

As per the report: “Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has suggested he wouldn’t have let Harry Wilson leave on loan if he had “another choice” in the summer transfer window.

“The German admits that if Wilson had stayed at Liverpool then playing time would have been much harder to come by, but adds he’d have “loved to have had him here” if another choice was available to him.”

 

Wilson was recently ineligible in his side’s clash with his parent club, something Klopp was particularly happy about knowing first hand how dangerous he can be.

“I am happy Harry Wilson cannot play tomorrow. Each free-kick is a proper threat. He has scored nice goals. It is good for him,” said Klopp before the encounter.

“But we have no doubt about Harry’s shooting abilities. His skills in that part of the game is incredible, world class for sure,” added Klopp.

“But he has gone to Bournemouth to improve the rest of his game – being involved, being decisive, being between the lines, using his speed and all that stuff and he makes big steps there. That’s really important.

“They are not on the best run but even there [against Spurs] he scored two goals, nice goals as well, not important enough at the end because they still lost but he kept the game going so good.”