Liverpool head to Villa Park on Friday night knowing a win over Aston Villa would seal a top-five finish in the Premier League, and Curtis Jones says three points would be perfect. The match kicks off at 8pm BST, with Liverpool in fourth place after last weekend's 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Anfield and ahead of Villa on goal difference.
Jones said the result would give Liverpool the outcome they have been chasing for much of the season, after a campaign in which momentum has repeatedly slipped away just when it looked within reach. A home match against Brentford follows on the final day of the 2025-26 campaign, but Friday is the one that can settle the immediate question over Champions League qualification.
The midfielder's focus, though, is as much on his own role as on the table. Jones said he simply wants to play, whether he is used at right-back, centre-back or striker, and added that he wants to be in centre-midfield, where he believes he is good enough to be starting. He said he is playing inside areas as well while operating as a full-back, and described himself as a full-back and centre-midfielder rather than a defender.
That versatility has become part of Liverpool's season, with Jones saying he has played a lot of games and wants more minutes in the middle of the pitch. He also made clear what he wants from that position: more goals and more assists. Liverpool have been forced to manage him across the back line, but Jones's comments suggest his long-term view remains tied to the centre of midfield.
Aston Villa are unlikely to make it easy. Jones said it is always going to be a hard game against them and described Villa as a very good team with a style built around keeping the ball. He also pointed out that Villa have a cup game before they face Manchester City in their final league match, but Liverpool's task on Friday is simpler: take three points and make the season's target official.
For Liverpool, that would mean turning a late-season fight into a concrete finish. For Jones, it would be another night of adaptation in a role he has accepted, even if it is not the one he wants most.
