Liverpool are likely to still be in the market for another midfielder such as Martin Zubimendi in either January or the summer, despite the strong performance of Curtis Jones against Chelsea last Sunday, Reds expert David Lynch has suggested.
Jones started his third game of the season against Chelsea, coming into Arne Slot's XI and partnering Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai in place of Alexis Mac Allister, who was not deemed ready to start following his exploits with Argentina during the October international break.
The Reds certainly missed the Argentine's ability in possession, highlighted by the fact Chelsea accumulated 58% possession, but the Scouser stepped up in Mac Allister's place and performed his own duties with and without the ball excellently.
Mohamed Salah's penalty was awarded after Jones was fouled by Levi Colwill in the first half, and though a second penalty won by the Englishman was overturned after a VAR check just before the half-time interval, the 23-year-old managed to net the winner in the 51st minute.
With Jones now looking like a real option in midfield, and the form of the likes of Gravenberch, some have questioned whether the Reds need to strengthen in the middle of the park in order to sustain a title challenge.
Speaking to Sports Mole, Lynch hinted that the Reds will look to do business for another player in midfield, and insisted that an addition will eventually be made despite the fact Liverpool are first in the Premier League table.
"I just think [Slot] would like another one in there who he kind of trusts as an option. As I say, you know, Endo, not massively fancied by the manager. That's my understanding," Lynch revealed when asked if the emergence of Jones quashes any remaining Zubimendi links.
"Also, you don't want to get yourself to a situation where you're kind of tempting those injuries either by not having enough rotation in those positions because you have to get through so much work, really, that you'd like just maybe one more in there who the manager really backs and is ready to use. But I think, you know, regardless of that, maybe that is something Liverpool do look at in January or certainly coming into the next summer."
'Not massively fancied'
Prior to the start of this season, Wataru Endo was seen by many as Liverpool's only natural number six, despite Jones and Mac Allister having previously operated deeper in midfield for Jurgen Klopp.
However, Gravenberch has consistently been selected by Slot to start at the base of midfield, while Jones has operated in more advanced positions and Endo has only played 85 minutes for the Dutch manager so far this campaign.
The fact that Gravenberch has performed so well in a largely unfamiliar role is admirable, but Lynch argued that he will no doubt need help as the season progresses.
"I still think for me Liverpool probably need another one in there just because, I mean, a good example is the fact that they were only missing Harvey Elliott in the game against West Ham in the Carabao Cup, for example. But he desperately needed to rest that first three, which was obviously Mac Allister, Gravenberch and Szoboszlai.
"OK, you can throw Endo in there, who the manager doesn't really trust. Jones is great to bring in, absolutely happy to do that. But he's putting in Endo, who he doesn't massively trust, as I mentioned. And then he basically named four attackers instead because he didn't feel he had that extra midfield option."
Current midfielders still have room for improvement
© Imago
Lynch also suggested that the current group of midfielders at Liverpool can still make substantial improvements, citing Jones as an example and noting that Slot would prefer the Reds player to become more of a tempo setter.
"Having another option in Curtis Jones, who is doing really well, will play an awful lot of games this season, no doubt about it, is a huge boost. And I mean, he's only 23 still. There's more improvement to come.
"And on that criticism, actually, of him not releasing the ball quickly enough, I think that is actually something that the manager feels can slightly improve, that he can be better at setting the tempo and picking the right times to speed it up. But otherwise, really, really happy with him and feels that, yes, there's improvement, but he's also very, very good and very capable.
"He absolutely showed that against Chelsea. He was phenomenal on both sides of the ball. So, yeah, great, great to see him flourishing. But I do still feel that Liverpool might need another in there."
Jones has long been criticised for taking too long with the ball despite his obvious talents as an attacking outlet, but if he can crash the box as he did against Chelsea and have a similar impact in possession for the remainder of the season, then perhaps Liverpool will feel more confident that they can wait until the summer to bolster their ranks.
Lewis Nolan
