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Liverpool manager Arne Slot during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Everton FC at Anfield on April 2, 2025 (Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

Arne Slot paid tribute to Curtis Jones after the midfielder played the full game at right-back as Liverpool beat Everton 1-0 at Anfield to restore their 12-point Premier League cushion.

And Slot revealed the tactical tweak has been something he has toyed with all season but was forced into the decision due to injuries to Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez.

Jarell Quansah deputised in the absence of the injured trio in the Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle United on March 16 but Jones was given the nod on Wednesday night as Diogo Jota struck the only goal of the game to extend the Reds' lead.



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"It is not something that came up last week," Slot said of the decision to use Jones in the unfamiliar role.

But there were three full-backs injured in Trent, Conor and Joe, so then it is a choice of playing a centre-back over there and Jarell did quite well over there I have to say and he would have helped us with set-pieces.

"But I felt and we felt that to have a chance to win the game we had to play better with the ball than in the away game.

So it was a risk to play a midfielder there maybe, but I thought he could help with the creativity in this position.

Because that is what you lack when Trent is not there, of course.

"He did very well defensively also, strong performance from him, like the whole team and it is nice to have another option in that position because three of them are injured."

On the game itself, Slot added: "Hard fought definitely but that is not a surprise, nine games unbeaten Everton, hardly ever concede a goal, hardly ever concedes a chance.

They defend with 10 players around their box with players like Tarkowski, Branthwaite, it is almost no use to cross a ball because they head everything away.

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"They are a team that is difficult to play against because they are also a threat on the counter-attack with Beto and every free-kick they get against us, and they get a lot of free-kicks against us - that was a joke - you have to defend that and from that it is what makes it so difficult

"So what I liked today more so than at Goodison Park was at Goodison we only had ball possession but only with our centre-backs and full-backs and today, first half maybe 10 or 15 times Lucho one one on with O'Brien and I don't think I am exaggerating.

"But we had to be there so many times and you hope one time it will be enough and it was for Diogo scoring."


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