LEWIS STEELE: Curtis Jones passed his right back audition with flying colours

A Scouser at right back. ‘The king is dead, long live the king’ and all that.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold absent through injury and with his future uncertain to say the least, it was left to the other local lad in the squad to step up and fill his shoes: Curtis Jones.

The England international started a league game at full back for the first time in his senior career and offered a glimpse, perhaps, into the future in a world without Alexander-Arnold, should the full back depart to Real Madrid as many expect.

Mail Sport understands that nothing is signed in terms of a move to the Spanish capital and reports last week suggesting it was a ‘done deal’ were slightly exaggerated, even though the expected outcome is for Alexander-Arnold to indeed jump ship.

But regardless of any of that, Liverpool need to start formulating their plans — in pencil at least — for if their vice-captain leaves. And here was a chance for Jones to show Arne Slot what he can do there.

He passed that audition with flying colours. He completed 68 of 73 passes, won three of five duels and won possession six times.

But aside from the raw numbers, he offered the sort of creativity that Liverpool lacked in the Carabao Cup final. Jarell Quansah started that match and it felt like Alexander-Arnold’s unorthodox passing was sorely missed.

Jones does not have the keys to unlock defences on his own, mind, but this was a fine performance that vindicates something Slot has been thinking about for several months – and something Liverpool have been working on since they returned to training on Saturday.

He captained the side at right back in a Carabao Cup match in September 2023 but this was the first ‘big’ game he has played there. He took to it like a duck to water.

‘Curtis was excellent,’ said Andy Robertson. ‘He played a really good game, he is such an intelligent footballer. We were joking yesterday — he has played left wing, as a No 10, a striker, a No 6, a No 8 and a right back.

‘It shows how intelligent he is, he took the game in his stride. So comfortable on the ball and defended well too.’

It should also be mentioned that Jones often plays with his heart on his sleeve — maybe to his detriment in the reverse fixture at Goodison Park when he was sent off — and the local lad is a fans’ favourite.

Slot added: ‘It is not something that came up last week, it is something we thought about for a bit longer. The first half of the season were moments we talked about with him. I thought he was able to do this or do it in moments.

‘Three full backs are injured so then it is a choice of playing a centre back, but we felt that to have a chance to win the game we had to play better than in the away game. A risk to play there as a midfielder but I thought he could help with the creativity.

‘He did very well defensively, strong performance from him and nice to have another option.’

Both Robertson and Slot pointed to his calmness on the ball and his creativity was certainly his main attribute here – but the biggest moments came in a defensive sense. There was a last-ditch clearance in stoppage time and a couple of well-timed tackles, too.

One match at right back does not mean Jones is the answer if Alexander-Arnold was to leave this summer — Conor Bradley would have a thing or two to say about that — but it was certainly a pleasing audition and another thing for Slot to consider in the future.