‘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.

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.

‘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.

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.

Gravenberch has been best player and ‘biggest surprise’

There is lots to like about Liverpool’s entire midfield at the moment, and for me Gravenberch has been their best player all season, as well as the biggest surprise – and all because of a little tweak in his position.

His performances have been incredible, really, considering the concern there was before a ball was kicked when defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi did not sign from Real Sociedad.

That has been a blessing in disguise, because Gravenberch has been a revelation in that role. Again, that’s down to the confidence and belief he has been given by Slot, and the freedom to still be himself.

Gravenberch does not just sit in and stay deep. Instead, he glides past people and gets into good attacking areas as well as doing his defensive work.

He has been so good, he has been like a new signing, and I am not surprised the fans have taken to him, with his wonderful athleticism and dribbling ability. The way he turns away from players is a joy to watch.

‘Liverpool have plenty to be pleased about’

There were other pluses for Liverpool against Chelsea, too. Let’s hope Diogo Jota is not badly injured after he was forced to come off, but Darwin Nunez was excellent when he replaced him after half an hour.

Nunez did not get a scoring chance but he brought others into play and was involved in all the good things Liverpool did after he came off the bench.

Overall, Slot’s side were not at their best, but I would put that at least partly down to the effects of the international break.

Liverpool were a bit flat in the same circumstances in September, when they lost to Nottingham Forest – and they and Chelsea were both a bit flat on Sunday too.

This time, though, Liverpool got over the line and I thought they managed the game really well when they went 2-1 up, and had the discipline to see it out without too many scares.

The trick to winning the league is to win games when you don’t play well and although it is far too early to talk about Liverpool becoming champions, they are top of the table right now and have plenty to be pleased about.

Danny Murphy was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.