NewsCurtis Jones interview: Importance of Villa clash, right-back role and more
Curtis Jones spoke of the importance of Liverpool's clash with Aston Villa on Friday night as they target three points that would secure Champions League qualification.
The Reds travel to Villa Park for an 8pm BST kick-off in the knowledge that victory would confirm a top-five finish in the Premier League.
After a 1-1 draw with Chelsea last weekend at Anfield, Arne Slot's team are in fourth place, ahead of Villa on goal difference.
A home match against Brentford follows on the final day of the 2025-26 campaign - but Jones wants a Champions League place wrapped up at the earliest opportunity.
In an interview with Liverpoolfc.com, the No.17 discussed the desire to beat Villa, his current right-back role in the side, and more. Read a summary below.
On the players wanting a strong performance at Villa to put a 'frustrating' few games behind them...
Absolutely, yeah. It's been like that for the whole of the year. There's been games when we've all thought it was going to be the turning point and then the following game we go and lose. There's an important game that's coming up and three points would be perfect.
On playing in the right-back position...
I just enjoy playing. If I'm as a right-back, if I'm a centre-back, or if I'm a striker, I just want to go and play. I am fortunate enough to have a quality that I'm comfortable on the ball and I'm confident in my own abilities. I'm not shy where I have to go and play. I want to be in centre-midfield, and I know that I'm good enough and I 'should' be playing there, but it's all about the team and that's what you have to put first.
Although I'm a full-back now at the minute, I'm playing inside as well, so I'm still getting a chance to get in the box and a chance to go and score and assist and things like that. I wouldn't say that I'm a defender. I'm a full-back/centre-midfielder, you can say. I just enjoy playing. I'm a lad that any time I get a chance to have a ball at my feet, my eyes just light up. I just end up with a smile on my face. That's what I want to go and do, especially in a team like this and a club like this. As I've said already, if I have to go and play off the wing, or as a striker, or as a centre-half, wherever it is, I'm fine.
On how he assesses his campaign overall and leading the Premier League in passing accuracy in the opposition half...
It's been up and down and I think that's been the whole of the team. I've played a lot of games. Although I would like to play in centre-midfield and have that spot as mine, I've got to appreciate the lads around me and their abilities as well. The stats there, I think they speak for themselves. There's been a number of times that I've been told that I stay on the ball a lot and things like that, but as everybody can see, I don't give the ball away at the same time. I think the important thing is to take that to the next step and try to score more and assist more.
On what kind of a challenge he is expecting from Villa...
It's always going to be a hard game against them. They're a very good team with their style of play, they like to play and they like to keep the ball. There are lads in the team who can go and hurt teams, so we're obviously aware of that. Then obviously they've got their cup game, but then the following game of theirs, I think it's [Manchester] City, which is the last game of the season for them. At the same time, I think that they will have in their head that they are wanting Champions League as well, because if they were to lose the next three games, including us, then there's a good chance that they're out of the Champions League.
It's important that we don't get caught up in the atmosphere. They're going to come out and they're going to have all the energy but we just have to go and play our game. We have to stay calm. Again, as I said, we have to play our game. If I look around and see the lads in our team and the ability there, I've got all the trust in the lads and myself as well to get it over the line.
I think that the important thing is that we come away with a win. If that's a game that we've got all the ball and it's a perfect game, or it could be a game where we go and score one and then we're sat back, at the end of the day I think, especially now, that the important thing is that we come away with the win. I know that and the manager knows that and the lads do as well, so that's the important thing.