Arne Slot praises new dad Curtis Jones: 'Since he became a father he's great'

Today at 07:51 AM

• Liverpool midfielder became a father last month
• Dutchman believes 'quality player' will still improve

Arne Slot believes fatherhood may have elevated Curtis Jones' game this season, but he has told the midfielder he needs to "show up" in every game for Liverpool.

Jones became a father for the first time the week before producing a man-of-the-match performance in Liverpool's Premier League win over Chelsea. The 23-year-old, named in the England squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Greece and the Republic of Ireland, stood out again in Liverpool's emphatic Champions League defeat of Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday. Slot rejected the suggestion that he is responsible for Jones' improvement and claimed contentment in the midfielder's private life is a more likely explanation before Saturday's meeting with Aston Villa at Anfield.