Curtis Jones makes Liverpool transfer admission as two targets confirmed

Curtis Jones

Curtis Jones admits it has taken longer than expected for Liverpool's raft of summer arrivals to settle at the Premier League champions.

But the Reds midfielder now believes sights are firmly set on ending a difficult campaign with a double of FA Cup and Champions League.

Arne Slot's side face a battle to ensure a top-four place having seen their hopes of defending the title ended by a dismal run of form during the autumn.

However, they advanced to the last 16 of the FA Cup with a comfortable 3-0 fourth round win over Brighton at Anfield on Saturday evening having already progressed to the same stage in the Champions League after finishing third in the table in the opening stage.

And Jones, who scored the opening goal against the Seagulls, has taken confidence from the manner in which new signings such as Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Milos Kerkez are having an increasing impact.

Jones

"The season has been up and down but it's important that we use this and kick on from this," said Jones after the win against Brighton.

"We are in the Champions League still and we're still in the FA Cup, so it's down to us as a team to see what we're doing well and keep that going.

"A team like this and the fans expect a lot as well. If we can come away with the FA Cup and the Champions League I think that would be special given all the stuff that's been happening around (the club).

"Lads have left and lads have come in, it's not clicked as fast as we thought it would. But the new lads are now in the team and are playing with confidence as well. They are helping us out loads."

With Wataru Endo joining Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong on the sidelines, Jones started at right-back at the weekend with Joe Gomez on the bench and Dominik Szoboszlai restored to midfield.

And Jones took the opportunity of being watched by former Reds team-mate James Milner while being interviewed on LFC TV to praise the influence on his career of the Brighton man.

Jones

"I'm not going to say a lot as he's smiling in the background,"

"But he's a man that I look up to, he has guided me since I was a kid. He set the bar high in terms of the games he has played, he's a great athlete and professional.

“He's a big part of why I'm the way I am. He was a winger, then he played centre mid then obviously he had to play full-back as well.

"He's obviously a big part of why my mindframe is the way it is."