Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was full of praise for midfielder Curtis Jones.

The Reds have experienced some issues in this department of their team this term.

However, Jones has come in and been a breath of fresh air in recent games.

Klopp praised him after a tight 2-1 win over West Ham United on Wednesday, telling the club website: “Curtis has [had] a super-difficult season this year. It started with a freakish injury – it happens to young boys but he was on the edge of being not that young anymore to get these kind of things.

“So, we had to deal with him super-carefully – he was out for a long time and then we could start training again, but only a session here, then recovery again, a session there... you cannot build anything. From the moment he was allowed to train properly again, it looked – step by step – really good.

“Since he was fully fit and match-ready, he plays now and he is doing really well. He set the tone again today with the first counter-pressing situation, he was super-important. That he is a good footballer, we all knew – that he has to improve, we knew as well, and he knows, but he's in a really good moment, a really good moment, [and that is] super-helpful.

“This team is set up now for the defending, for the defensive readiness. This is a ticket into the team. That doesn't mean the other boys don't do that, but these guys now do it like animals, if you want – and really, I like that, how we chase the ball again and these kind of things. On top of that, we are able to play quite good football and Curtis is involved in that as well, absolutely.