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John Aldridge has urged Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp to start using midfielder Curtis Jones for 90 minutes in games.

The 20-year-old has started back-to-back matches in the recent Premier League defeats to Leicester City and Manchester City, but he’s been substituted off midway through the second half in both.

He’s made 17 appearances so far this season in the Premier League, but only completed the full 90 minutes on four occasions.

Jones, who has come through the Liverpool academy, has become a permanent member of the Reds first team this season.

He is a box-to-box central midfielder that adds some extra guile in the centre of the park, but it’s difficult for any player to shine right now in a team struggling for form.

Aldridge has singled the youngster out though as a big positive for the Merseyside giants and wants to see him used more.

“It has been pointed out that in the last two games, we were in a good position until Curtis Jones was replaced midway through the second half. That the Reds have then fallen away so badly towards the end against both Manchester City and Leicester is probably just coincidence,” Aldridge told the Liverpool Echo.

“But Jones was Liverpool’s best player against [Manchester] City and again had a good match at the weekend. Maybe Jurgen is trying to protect Jones. But the youngster might be best served getting more 90 minutes under his belt.

“The lad has so much going for him. He loses the ball now and again and will do something he shouldn’t, but he’ll learn from that. He is a real talent.”

TBR’s View:

With so many injuries hitting the Liverpool squad this season, it feels like Klopp hasn’t been able to find the same kind of consistency in his midfield as in recent years.

Jones can be a little irrational at times and lack discipline, but he’s an exciting 20-year-old midfielder that adds something extra to the XI.

He looks like he’ll develop into a key player at Anfield for many years, but right now he’s showing he can be one of the individual to help dig them out of a hole.