Curtis Jones aims subtle dig at Everton after derby win

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Image Credits: Imago ImagesLiverpool won the first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium 2-1 on Sunday in dramatic fashion, with Virgil van Dijk heading home in the 100th minute to secure three points that move the Reds seven points clear of Chelsea in the race for Champions League football, and Curtis Jones was at the heart of everything good about Liverpool’s performance.Arne Slot deployed Jones in an unfamiliar right-back role, a decision born out of necessity given Liverpool’s mounting injury problems, and the midfielder responded with arguably the performance of the afternoon from either side.Jones played the full 90 minutes, accumulated 117 touches, the highest of any player on the pitch and the only player to cross 100, completed his passes at a 94% accuracy rate, won 16 ball recoveries to lead both teams combined, made four interceptions, and won seven of his 12 duels.For a player operating out of position in the most high-pressure fixture in the city’s calendar, those numbers were exceptional.The match itself was a ferocious affair from the first whistle.Everton started brightly in their new home and thought they had taken the lead through Iliman Ndiaye before the goal was ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside in the build-up involving Jake O’Brien. Liverpool made them pay almost immediately, with Mohamed Salah finishing a slick move involving Cody Gakpo in the 29th minute, his ninth Premier League goal against Everton, equaling Steven Gerrard’s record in this fixture.Everton hit back through Beto in the 54th minute, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s low cross converted clinically, though the moment was overshadowed by Giorgi Mamardashvili being stretchered off with an injury sustained in the build-up, handing Freddie Woodman his Premier League debut.With the game level and Woodman between the posts, Van Dijk rose highest from Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner in the 100th minute to power home the winner and send the travelling support into delirium.After the final whistle, Jones was in no mood to celebrate quietly.Speaking about the result and what it means in the broader context of the season, the Liverpool midfielder delivered a pointed observation about Everton’s reaction to the game that carried a clear and deliberate edge.Jones said, “It shows the team that we are and the team that they are, they’re celebrating the two points behind us in one of our worst years.”“If that’s what they see as a stepping stone or a step in the right direction, then I don’t know.”“We don’t think about teams that are catching us, we only have a look forward and we know that we have to play in the Champions League.”The comment was measured in its delivery but sharp in its intent.Everton have been buoyed by their recent form and by the belief that they were closing the gap on their rivals.Jones acknowledged none of that and dismissed the idea that Everton’s performance should be a source of encouragement for anyone in blue.The reference to Champions League football was equally deliberate.Liverpool’s victory moves them onto 55 points in fifth place with five games remaining, and with the Premier League having secured a fifth Champions League spot through UEFA’s coefficient table, Slot’s side are now in a strong position to guarantee their return to European football’s elite competition next season.They also remain just three points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, keeping the race for a top-four finish mathematically alive.Jones’s comments set the tone for how Liverpool intend to approach the run-in, heads down, eyes forward, and with no interest in looking over their shoulders at whoever is trying to close the gap from behind.

Curtis Jones Everton vs Liverpool