Arne Slot believes Curtis Jones' upturn in form for Liverpool has coincided with the 23-year-old recently becoming a father for the first time.
Jones has played a starring role for the Reds in recent weeks, which has earned him a call-up by Lee Carsley for England’s upcoming Nations League fixtures this month.
The midfielder shone during Liverpool's 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, notching a sublime assist for Luis Diaz's 61st minute opener.
Jones also created the joint-most chances (three) along with Ryan Gravenberch at Anfield, and is now pushing Dominik Szoboszlai for a starting spot in Liverpool's midfield.
"With Curtis he became a fighter and I had nothing to do with that. Since the moment he became a father [last month], he started putting great performances in," Slot said.
"He already did in the first few weeks of pre-season and I thought he was a quality player.
"His performances dropped a bit but from the moment he became a father he has been outstanding again.
"It might have a bit to do with that, but I think it is more to do with how the team plays. As a result of that, individual performances are good as well."
Jones has started four of the Reds' last six games in all competitions, notching four goal contributions (one goal, three assists) in those games.
But the midfielder has had to bide his time under Slot, with the Liverpool boss challenging Jones to add consistency to his game in the coming weeks.
"He has a lot of qualities on the ball, when he has it he's never afraid to do something special. Sometimes he is a bit too over-confident but confidence is important," Slot added.
"He also has an incredibly high work-rate and we can trust him defensively. You saw how he performed against Cole Palmer.
"If he wants to continue progressing he has to show every three days these performances."
Liverpool's fine start to the season continued with their midweek thrashing of Leverkusen, and they are now top of the Premier League and Champions League tables.
The Reds' victory over Brighton in the league saw Slot become just the fifth manager to win as many as eight of his first 10 Premier League games in charge, after John Gregory (1998), Guus Hiddink (2009), Carlo Ancelotti (2009) and Ange Postecoglou (2023).
Of the previous four, only Postecoglou failed to win his 11th match in the competition, though Slot faces a stern test this weekend when Aston Villa visit Merseyside.
The Dutchman, however, insisted that his side's flying start to the season had not come as a surprise.
"I don't think surprise is the right word to use because I knew the quality of our team. But quality is one thing and consistency is another," Slot concluded.
"I am not surprised because I saw the energy my players put in on a daily basis.
"Sometimes a bit of luck comes with us as well. Most of our results were deserved, but some have been a close call.
"In general, I'm not surprised because of the quality that was in the team and when I started working with them, I saw how much effort they put in to get these results."
Kicking off a new partnership: CB Foods becomes official protein sponsor of PFJL
CB Foods has entered the football arena, kicking off a new three-year league partnership and becoming the Official Protein Sponsor of Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL), the managers of the Jamaica Premier League.
This partnership was sealed on Thursday, December 5th at the offices of the CB Group.
Janet Sylvester, Divisional Manager of CB Foods Ltd, expressed her company’s enthusiasm about the collaboration.
“We are thrilled to be part of nation-building. As a company with over 40 years in the industry, we have contributed to various sectors, including agriculture, entertainment, food and beverage, and we are now entering the sports arena. CB Foods aims to combine all our efforts to strengthen the Jamaica Premier League, focusing on youth development and supporting clubs and small businesses,” she disclosed.
“At CB Group, we practice a culture of sustainability. Our purpose is to make a positive impact, and when we consider the future, our focus is on empowering people who will help us build sustainable industries. This mission aligns closely with our core values at CB Group,” she explained.
Samantha Fisher, the Assistant Brand Manager of CB Foods, highlighted the significance of football in Jamaica.
"Football is more than just a sport in Jamaica; it’s a way of life, a unifying force, and a celebration of our culture. CB Foods has always been passionate about nourishing our people with care and quality, we are excited to be a part of one of Jamaica’s most beloved national pastimes. Through this collaboration, we hope to ignite excitement, inspire greatness both on and off the field, and connect with the community: the footballers, fans, and foodies."
For his part, Owen Hill, CEO of the Professional Football Jamaica Limited, said the CB Foods’ commitment to nation building and community involvement, augurs well the alignment of both entities.
“CB Foods is a community brand, and we appreciate their boldness in not only expressing their values but also actively working to make a real difference. Our goal is to positively impact the lives of footballers, the community, and the clubs. This three-year partnership reflects our commitment and passion for changing lives through football. We are excited to see what the next three years will bring,” said Hill.
Hill emphasized the benefits of the partnership for the players.
“This partnership directly impacts the clubs’ overall mindset because more collaborations like this will lead to greater visibility. Motivation is crucial, as it drives their performance on and off the field,” Hill explained.
CB Foods will engage with the community through its brands, including CB Chicken, Caribbean Passion, and Bad Dawg Sausages. We look forward to seeing how they will execute their initiatives at various Jamaica Premier League matches and in the community.
Guardiola believes De Bruyne will be difficult to replace at Man City
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola knows it will be difficult to find a replacement for midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, should the Belgian depart next year.
The playmaker joined City in 2015 and has played a key role in their trophy-laden spell since then, but he will be out of contract at the end of the season.
De Bruyne's season has been hampered by injury, but the 33-year-old started his first Premier League game since August as City returned to winning ways after seven winless games against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
And Guardiola could not stress enough the impact De Bruyne has had on the club.
"I'm not involved in it," the City boss said, when quizzed about contract negotiations with De Bruyne.
"I would like to have him 23 years old and sign a contract for 10 years, this is what I'd like, we'll see."
De Bryune signed for City a year before Guardiola's arrival and has won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and five EFL Cups while also helping them to their first-ever Champions League triumph during the 2022-23 season.
"There are players for whom the impact on the legacy of this club will be eternal, will be forever," said Guardiola.
"Of course, it is not easy to replace [them], but as a club, we have to find in the moment, if it's going to happen, we have to find the best way."
Before the game against Forest, Guardiola had to brush aside suggestions of a rift between himself and De Bruyne.
"People say I've got a problem with Kevin. Do you think I like to not play with Kevin? No, I don't want Kevin to play?" he said.
"The guy who has the most talent in the final third, I don't want it? I have a personal problem with him after nine years together?
"He's delivered to me the biggest success to this club, but he's been five months injured [last season] and two months injured [this season].
"He's 33 years old. He needs time to find his best, like last season, step by step. He'll try to do it and feel better. I'm desperate to have his best."
'Milan shown lack of respect' - Fonseca bemoans refereeing in Atalanta loss
Paulo Fonseca thinks referee Federico La Penna showed AC Milan "a lack of respect" during their 2-1 defeat by Atalanta.
Ademola Lookman's late strike settled the contest at Gewiss Stadium, where Alvaro Morata cancelled out Charles De Ketelaere's earlier effort.
While Atalanta climbed to the Serie A summit following a ninth straight win, Milan saw their seven-game unbeaten streak across all competitions come to an end.
However, Fonseca suggested his side were on the wrong end of questionable officiating, including for the hosts' first goal, where he felt De Ketelaere pushed Theo Hernandez while climbing to head home.
"I am not afraid to speak the truth," he told Sky Sport Italia. "I have always respected the work of the referees. I realise they have a difficult job, but every week, it is always the same.
"The way the referee officiated throughout this evening was a lack of respect for Milan.
"The first goal, [there] was a clear foul, there is absolutely no doubt. The way the referee officiated throughout was against Milan, there is no doubt."
Although, Fonseca acknowledged poor defending from set-pieces proved costly for his side.
"At the end of the day, we lost the game on two set-plays," he added. "The first half was very good, but in the second, we didn't have that link with the strikers.
"I think we deserved more tonight, it was tough to accept conceding two goals from dead-ball situations."
Meanwhile, Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini revelled in his side's victory, which lifted them to the top of the table and already had their supporters chanting songs about winning the Scudetto.
"Naturally, this is a great victory against a team with undoubtedly very talented players among the best in the league, and we thoroughly deserved the win," he said.
"The people of Bergamo have their feet firmly on the ground, so don't take anything for granted. If we were still up there after another 20 games, it'd be different, but as things stand, it is an expression of joy and a deserved one, too."
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