Having started just one Premier League fixture between August and April, Curtis Jones knew he had to regain the trust of Jurgen Klopp at Chelsea nine games ago.
The Liverpool midfielder admitted as much after the goalless draw at Stamford Bridge, indicating that a subdued, sensible performance was simply about building confidence and proving that he could be a reliable option going forward.
With the Reds having won just two of the previous seven games, and fresh from a 4-1 humbling at Manchester City a few days earlier, Jones's chance arrived largely from the manager making as many as six changes on the night, perhaps in an effort to send a message to some of his underperforming big names at the time.
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Jones later admitted that, from his perspective, it was about taking incremental steps toward further minutes in the team rather than attempting to make any grand statements in west London on April 4.
"I wouldn't really say it was a game where I was able to get on the ball and dribble and shoot really," Jones told the ECHO after the match. "I thought they had a lot of the ball. It was a game that was more about gaining the manager's trust again.
"I've been out for awhile, as I said, so he has not really had a chance to see me in a game. There has not been many games where I can play. But I was back in there today and I think I have given him a decent little cameo to think about."
Six weeks later and it would be entirely fair to suggest Klopp has been given more than "a decent little cameo to think about" with regards to the England Under-21 international.
Jones's two-goal showing in the 3-0 win at Leicester City on Monday was his ninth successive start in the Liverpool team, which represents the best run of a senior career that is edging close to the 100-appearance mark. Having now played 95 times for his boyhood club, that milestone moment will have to wait until next term.
The decision to move Trent Alexander-Arnold into midfield when in possession has freed Jones up to move away from the congested centre and look to do damage from the left side of the field, which was something which he did to great effect during his time in the Liverpool Academy, particularly when he captained the Under-21 team.
Jones told Liverpoolfc.com: "In my Academy days I have always been a lad who just wanted to have the ball, run, run, run and shoot and score and try to assist. I’m at a point now where the game is more of an attacking and defending player, so if I don’t have the ball I have to go and press and make sure the space is closed.
"Being a kid in the Academy days I’ve always scored goals and I wouldn’t say I’ve been the star kid but I’ve always been the kid who has jumped up the age groups. Then I came around the first team and it was kind of a shock where the whole of the game changes, so I’ve had to make a change to the whole of my game. But I’m adapting well and I think it’s the best run I’ve had for a while."
It's now three goals in four games for the city-centre-born midfielder, with two of those the result of specific tactical instructions from the manager and his staff, who have, it is understood, encouraged him to attack the back post more from the left-hand side.
His cushioned finish with the in-step of his left foot against Leicester bore more than a passing resemblance to the opening goal of the 4-3 win over Tottenham on April 30, something which Klopp acknowledged himself after the match at the King Power.
"The first goal was similar to the one he finished against Tottenham and the second goal was a super finish," Klopp said. He is in a good moment, which is really cool."
It's clearly a tactic that can yield results and with Alexander-Arnold's sublime passing range from the right capable of finding him more, Jones has the tools he needs to try and boost that goal return further in the final two games of the campaign.
Klopp added: "He's had some injuries like the finger in the eye, which took him out for a while but this year especially bad. He could watch a lot of football and understand the game better and it really looks like that. I think where he improved the most was his counter-pressing and his speed of play.
"So he doesn't keep the ball for as long anymore. He still does that and he has to do it in moments but he is much quicker in the decision-making moments and stuff like this. He also is a good finisher, both goals were exceptional. I am not even sure they are chances."
Meanwhile, Reds captain Jordan Henderson said: "I think Curtis has grown in confidence and having a run of games has helped him a lot. I think he has performed really well with the ball. With the ball, tactically, he is so good.
"He rarely gives it away, keeps hold of it in tight spaces, he has got quality - as you've tonight with his two goals - but then outside of that his work out of possession in terms of his counter-pressing has been great. He's a great athlete and he's been brilliant over the last few weeks, definitely."
With three goals now for the campaign, Jones has moved into the top 10 of Liverpool scorers, excluding own goals. That, in itself, is an indicator of where some of the issues have been for the Reds this term. Mohamed Salah's haul of 30 aside, Klopp simply hasn't had enough match-winners in his teams at times.
Cody Gakpo's January arrival obviously limited his impact, while long-term injuries to Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, as well as a handful of problems for Roberto Firmino, have also held that trio back from adding more to their own individual totals. But a lack of goals from midfield has been a further complaint of an engine room that has come in for a lot of criticism this campaign.
Liverpool's midfielders have never been told to place a goal return at the top of their to-do list under Klopp but the fact Jones is now the top-scorer in the Premier League from that department suggests it is something that can certainly be improved across the board going forward.
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