Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones hasn't been blessed with much luck so far this season.

He has struggled with various injury issues over the past two years.

However, he is now back after playing as a substitute in a recent game against Brentford.

After missing the first team's FA Cup clash with Wolves, he played 45 minutes for the Under-21s against Tottenham.

“It's just to give him more minutes. Curt's been unbelievably unfortunate with injuries," Under-21s manager Barry Lewtas manager said to the Liverpool Echo.

“Sometimes this is just a really good opportunity for him to get a shirt on. There's nothing like a game.

“It's not Anfield, but putting the kit on and playing against people who want to tackle you, chase you and there's something on it - you can't replicate that sometimes. For Curt, he was always only going to get 45 minutes.

“It was a really good chance for him to run around and blow some of the cobwebs off. Oh he is (a cut above) and he wasn't the oldest player out there either. That goes to show the level of where he is.

“He's definitely fled the nest from us but one thing we are able to do here is we do try and replicate the way the first team play. So the beauty is, if someone needs minutes, they can drop in and the shape's the same, the ideas are the same.

“It's a little bit of practice for him. Harvey (Elliott) did it last year. He dropped down and got a few minutes. Today it was also Calvin's turn, for a short while, and Curtis' chance as well. It won't be a common thing, it's not regular, those players playing for us all the time.

“But it is becoming a little bit more common, players being able to drop in. Nat Phillips has done it, Fabio (Carvalho) has done it, Calvin and Curtis. For us, the real pleasing thing is that the manager trusts the way and the style which we play so he is able to do it."