Slot confirms that one midfielder will be unavailable for the Reds’ match against Burnley.

Curtis Jones Ruled Out of Burnley Clash Due to Injury, Confirms Slot

Liverpool’s build-up to their Premier League return has been disrupted by the news that Curtis Jones will miss the upcoming fixture against Burnley due to an injury.

Head coach Arne Slot confirmed the setback during his pre-match press conference, noting that while most of the squad returned from international duty without issues, Jones was not as fortunate.

“We trained today with most of the group,” Slot said. “The players who didn’t travel with their national teams trained with the U21s earlier in the week. Curtis picked up an injury in his last game, so he won’t be available against Burnley.”

It’s a frustrating development for the 24-year-old midfielder, who’s been pushing for a consistent starting role alongside the likes of Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, and Alexis Mac Allister. With Jones sidelined, there will be added pressure on new signing Wirtz to deliver in the middle of the park.

Despite being linked with a potential exit during the summer, Jones remains an important figure in Slot’s plans — a sign of the manager’s confidence in the academy graduate.

Slot also expressed relief that the majority of his squad avoided injury during the international break, adding: “That’s not always the case, especially early in the season when players come back from different training environments and suddenly play two matches in quick succession.”

Liverpool’s Midfield Without Jones

Jones’ absence means more responsibility falls to the trio of Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, and Gravenberch — the latter of whom was carefully managed by the Dutch national team over the break, according to Slot.

With a packed fixture schedule ahead, losing Jones at this point is a significant setback. Club legend Sir Kenny Dalglish previously named him as one of last season’s unsung heroes, and he’s expected to play a key role again this campaign.

Liverpool will be hoping his injury is minor and that he can return swiftly to contribute to what’s shaping up to be a big season under Arne Slot.