Curtis Jones is struggling with injury and if he misses this Sunday’s Carabao Cup final it will be a big disadvantage to Liverpool as they take on Chelsea, reckons Paul Merson.
Jurgen Klopp is dealing with a string of injuries to first team players, with Jones one of the long list of Reds stars who missed the 4-1 win over Luton on Wednesday night.
Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota, Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara are all definitiely out of the Wembley contest on Sunday, while Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez are hoping to be fit.
How long Jones is out for has not been confirmed, with Klopp saying ‘a bone ligament issue’ kept him out of the Luton win.
Merson believes which Liverpool players return to fitness in time will make a huge impact on the game, with Jones a big part of that argument.
The former Arsenal and England star reckons it is advantage Chelsea in the midfield if Jones is not there.
‘I’m more confident for Chelsea’s chances than I was after the Liverpool game when they lost 4-1 at Anfield in January,’ Merson told Sky Sports.
‘It all depends on who is fit for Liverpool – if Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones are fit, it is a different story. If they aren’t fit, I think it is a heads-or-tails football match.
‘If they are fit, especially Salah, and Curtis Jones – he is playing well and brings out the best in Alexis Mac Allister because he has the legs in the team – that would just swing it Liverpool’s way.
‘But if they don’t play, it is a funny old game, football. Three or four weeks ago, you are thinking Chelsea don’t have much chance after being blown away at Anfield.
‘Now all of a sudden, Chelsea are playing half-decent at the right time. Second half at Palace, they did well and at Man City the other day. For me, they are just playing well at the right time and I think they have a good balance.
‘If Curtis Jones isn’t fit, then I think Chelsea win that midfield battle.’
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